Verne Carol Borse Kelly Obituary (1933 - 2022)

Verne Carol Borse Kelly, 89, formerly of Huntley, Illinois, passed away on May 20, 2022 in Bloomington, IL. Born in New York City on February 14, 1933 to Phil and Vera (Kennedy) Borse, she spent her childhood in Oak Park, IL. She received her B.A. from Millikin University and her M.A. from the University of Iowa in Speech and Theatre. She married Michael Kelly in 1956, and together they had six children. Verne's life was one of steadfast dedication to elevating the lives of others through education, the arts, and creative thought. In addition to raising her children, she taught in the Speech department at what is now Rowan University (Glassboro, NJ), while investing in her community through engagement and charity and serving as a three-term elected member of the Glassboro Board of Education. She founded the Institute for Creative Education, traveling throughout the United States to promote the use of higher-level thinking skills in K-12 curricula. Her natural talent for communication and interpersonal skills led to work with FEMA in assisting victims of natural disasters, and later as the Academic Operations Manager for Keller Graduate School, where she helped aspiring executives learn how to foster a more inclusive culture within the workplace. An ardent supporter of the arts, Verne was a fixture at artistic performances of every sort, as well as a longtime subscriber to the Philadelphia Orchestra. A lifelong Catholic, she was an active parishioner of St. Margaret Mary Church in Algonquin, where she was also a longtime member of the choir. She was preceded in death by her beloved parents, her brother and sister-in-law Alan and Diana Borse, and an infant son. She is survived by five loving children: Shawn Biner of Denver CO, Kevin Kelly of Mays Landing NJ, Patrick Kelly (Amy Fenton) of Oak Park IL, Terence Kelly (Jana) of Bloomington IL, and Darin Kelly (Michele) of Philadelphia PA; Eleven grandchildren: Ryan Biner, Liam Biner, Megan McPartlan, Dana Suchecki, Ariel Kelly, Shannon Kelly, Shane Kelly, Keira Kelly, Eamon Kelly, Eoin Kelly and Maureen Kelly; and three Great-Grandchildren: Cliff Biner, Jack Biner, and Callum McPartlan. Cremation rites were accorded, and a funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 25, 2022 at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church in Algonquin, where visitation will be from 10-11 a.m. The Mass will be livestreamed, and the link can be found on the church's homepage (www.saintmargaretmary.org). Please follow all COVID-19 precautions. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Verne's name to Millikin University (https://millikin.edu/give) or the St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church Choir (https://www.givecentral.org/location/260/event/5726).