Winton Dale Kelley

In Loving Memory of Winton Dale Kelley

Winton Dale Kelley was born on April 24, 1953, in Princeton, Missouri, to Darald and Violeta Kelley. Winton often shared fond childhood memories of growing up in a small rural community, going to school with only twenty other students, and working on a nearby farm. After his family moved to Macon, Missouri, he graduated from Macon High School in 1971.

He worked at many grocery stores, starting at the local C&R store in Macon, then several Safeway stores in Chillicothe, Missouri, and Marshall, Missouri; to Nowell’s in Columbia, Missouri; to Hen House in Leawood, Kansas, and Lee’s Summit, Missouri; and finally, to Apple Market in Grain Valley, Missouri. He was a union meat cutter and meat market manager. After retiring, he became a driver for OATS Missouri Transit for seven years. He loved his riders, and they loved him.

While living in Marshall, Missouri, Winton met and married Sherryl Lewis in February of 1992. She was a Speech and Language Pathologist in the Marshall Public Schools. They were married for thirty-two years. They shared many adventures together, starting with their honeymoon in Hawaii and concluding with an Alaskan cruise in May of 2024. Many times they went to the Lake of the Ozarks and to Branson for weekend fun.

They were blessed with one daughter, Jessica Nicole Kelley, born in 1996. As a family, they vacationed at Disney World and visited several national parks, such as the Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore, Kentucky National Park, Zion National Park, and Yellowstone. What Winton treasured most of all were his daughter’s school years—going to the stables for her horse shows, attending school music programs, FFA events, sports games, and other school activities.

Winton enjoyed watching historical documentaries, home improvement shows, veterinarian programs, news programs, car shows, National Geographic specials, collecting model cars, and listening to country and rock ‘n’ roll music. He loved his family, community, animals, and helping others. He departed from this life on July 6, 2025, at the age of 72, after succumbing to cancer. He passed peacefully at NorthCare Hospice House, surrounded by his family.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Darald and Violeta Kelley of Macon, Missouri; his sister and brother-in-law, Nancy and Tony Montgomery of Kirksville, Missouri; and his nephew, Brian Kelley of Brookfield, Missouri.

Winton leaves to cherish his memory his loving wife, Sherryl Kelley of Blue Springs, Missouri; his daughter, Jessica Kelley of Blue Springs, Missouri; his brother and sister-in-law, Leland and Mary Kelley of Brookfield, Missouri; as well as nephews, nieces, cousins, other relatives, and friends.