Constance ‘Dena’ Kelley, passionate philanthropist, dies at 80

Remembered for her passion for adventure, commitment to community and fiery spirit, Constance “Dena” Kelley, died at home Thursday in Santa Rosa after a short battle with cancer. She was 80.

Born in Sacramento on March 1, 1937, Dena Kelley first arrived in Santa Rosa in 1963 when her newlywed husband, Robert Kelley, accepted a position as an English professor at Santa Rosa Junior College. It didn’t take long for the former private school teacher to get involved with her community, first as a parent volunteer for the Piner-?Olivet Union School District, as her children, Paul Kelley and Cathy Midyett, made their way through the ranks, and then as a trustee on the Piner-Olivet School Board, where she served for 14 years.

“I remember as a kid growing up, she used to always tell us, ‘Give back to your community. Serve where you live,’?” said her son, former Sonoma County Supervisor Paul Kelley. “I would point back to that as one of the primary reasons why I served for ?16 years as county supervisor.”

Her tenure on the Piner-?Olivet Union School District Board is where she met Mardi Hinton, current board president, and they served alongside one another during Kelley’s entire 14 years.

“She was just a really loving, giving woman, and just a lot of fun to be with,” Hinton said. “I had a lot of good times with her, and she was one terrific cook - of anything.”

In particular, Hinton recalled Dena Kelley’s talent for Greek dishes.

A daughter of Greek immigrants, she was passionate about her heritage. And she got to explore those roots during the summer breaks and sabbaticals her husband’s professorship allowed.

“We would block the aisle a lot at Raley’s if we ran into each other, catching up,” Hinton said. “She was fantastic.”

From 1971 to 1972, when Paul Kelley was 8, and his sister, Cathy Midyett, was 6, the family of four traveled to Europe. They ended up in Athens for about five months while the elder Kelley took classes at a university and the two youngest went to a local school.

After Robert Kelley died in 2001, Dena Kelley further expanded her service work in Sonoma County. Her lengthy list of involvement included work with the Windsor Kiwanis Club, visiting with residents at Bethel Towers and working with and mentoring young people at the Santa Rosa Christian Church, with a special fondness for the youth choir.

Her involvement with the church led her to the Rev. Steve Marshall, who joined the church when he was 21.

“She was like a grandmother, even to my own kids,” Marshall, now 62, said, remembering how after one trip to Europe, she came back with a pair of leather lederhosen for his oldest son.

“She was always loving those kids and giving them resources by showing up at all the fundraisers and just encouraging them all the time.”

In addition to her children, she is survived by a sister, Kathy McCall, of Roseville; five grandchildren; and one great-grandson.

Services were held Sunday at Santa Rosa Christian Church.