Deloras Lynn (Arnold) Kelley, known to family and friends as Dee, was born on September 8, 1937, in Farris, Oklahoma, to Harvey Herman Arnold and Lola Ellen Flowers. She passed away at home in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on September 25, 2026, at the age of 89.
Dee grew up on a farm in Oklahoma, where she developed a lifelong appreciation for hard work and the outdoors. She attended Oklahoma State University, where she met James Kelley. They married and raised three children: Doug Kelley, Roger Kelley, and Heather Kelley Stolz.
An adventurer at heart, Dee loved hunting, fishing, camping, and road trips. She shared her love of the outdoors with her children and continued hunting and fishing well into her late 80s. She also enjoyed gardening, canning, and exploring new places. Creative and stylish, she enjoyed sewing, making jewelry, and crafts. Dee had a remarkable eye for fashion throughout her life.
Family was at the center of Dee’s life. She was a strong, resilient, and resourceful woman who worked hard to provide for her family. A kind, steady presence with a subtle sense of humor, she held her family together and faced life’s challenges with determination. She found joy in the experiences she loved and took pride in caring for herself and her family. She leaves behind a legacy of perseverance, adventure, creativity, and love that will continue through the generations of her family.
In her later years, Dee continued to embrace life through travel, friendships, and adventures. She was part of a close-knit senior card-playing group and an RV travel group, forming lasting friendships and sharing new experiences.
Dee was preceded in death by her parents, Harvey Herman Arnold and Lola Ellen Flowers; her husband, James Kelley; and her sisters, Wanda Arnold Fillmore, Yvonne Arnold Miller, and Maureen Arnold.
She is survived by her three children, Doug Kelley, Roger Kelley (Carla), and Heather Kelley Stolz; her four grandchildren, Nicole Kelley Lambdin (Lawrence) , Alexis Kelley Armstrong (Ben), Derek Stolz, and Jason Stolz (Julia); her two great-grandchildren, Samuel Lambdin and Grace Lambdin; and her brother, Harvey Arnold.
A memorial service for Dee will be held on October 23, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Alternative Cremation, 2377 N. Academy Blvd., Colorado Springs, CO 80909.
