Helen Taylor Kelling, June 19, 1931 — September 16, 2018

Obituary for Helen Taylor Kelling Helen Taylor Kelling passed away September 16, 2018 in Tallahassee, FL. Born in Decorah, Iowa on June 19, 1931 to Lawton and Helen Taylor; she was the fourth of six children. Her bond with her siblings was forged out of growing up in lean times and never wavered.

She is predeceased by her brothers Jack and Bob, sisters Virginia and Barbara and survived by younger sister Dorothy Pruitt of Columbus, Mississippi. Helen met her husband Bud Kelling in New Jersey the summer of 1954 and promptly told her mother that she was going to marry him. By Thanksgiving that prediction came true.

She is survived by Bud Kelling, her son Steve and his wife Sue Pearce-Kelling and her daughter Kim and her husband Todd Engstrom. She was a devoted grandmother to her three grandsons Taylor and Sam Kelling and Dawson Engstrom. She was beloved by nieces and nephews and countless friends.

Helen was a woman ahead of her time. She was deeply impacted by racial injustice witnessed as a young woman in Birmingham, Alabama. After she was married and living in Bridgeton, NJ she became a fierce advocate for civil rights.

She spearheaded countless efforts to fight poverty, segregation and the war in Vietnam. Her home was always open and the discussions around the dining room table were lively. She was an incredibly loving mother who pushed her children to think big and to go far.

Nothing gave her more pleasure than spending time with her three grandsons. Helen was an intelligent, passionate and truly remarkable woman. Her spirit will live on in those she loved and loved her.

Her family will celebrate all things Helen when they gather during the Christmas holidays. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Tallahassee Community College Foundation – Building Legacies Scholarship in memory of Helen T. Kelling. The address is 444 Appleyard Dr. Tallahassee, FL 32304.

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