Helen Kelley

Helen S. Kelley, 88, passed away on Sept. 27, 2025, at Concord-Laconia Hospital in New Hampshire.

Helen was born Nov. 1, 1936, and was the adopted daughter of Bertha and Leon Evlian. She was raised in Hopkinton and graduated from Hopkinton High School, where she was a cheerleader and played for the girls basketball team. Thereafter, she lived most of her life in the nearby towns of Northborough, Westborough and Shrewsbury. At the time of her passing, she lived near her family in Laconia, New Hampshire.

Helen married Joseph M. Kelley of Hopkinton on May 23, 1959, and together they raised two children. They were married for 63 years until Joe’s passing in 2022.

Helen was known for her boundless energy and generous spirit. In addition to raising a family, she worked in her children’s school system and was an active volunteer with the school’s booster club. To promote girls sports, she jumped into coaching Lassie League softball for a number of years, winning a league championship along the way. After her kids left home, she worked full time as an office manager for small businesses, as well as selling real estate.

Helen enjoyed gardening, line dancing, driving fast cars and spending time on her family’s boat in the waters off Massachusetts and Rhode Island. She loved elephants, collecting dozens of figurines and pictures of them. She never gave up her volunteer spirit, continually offering her time to numerous causes throughout her life. For many, she will be remembered for her tireless efforts in support of family and friends in their time of need.

Helen is survived by her daughter, Patricia A. Kelley, and her son, John J. Kelley, along with John’s wife, Jennifer, and their daughter, Lexi. She has one surviving brother, Richard Sebilian of Medway.

A graveside service will be held Friday, Nov. 7, at 11 a.m. in Mount Auburn Cemetery, Hopkinton, followed by a celebration of life luncheon for all friends and family to attend and celebrate Helen’s life. Services are under the care of the Callanan Cronin Funeral Home in Hopkinton.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Tunnel to Towers Foundation in Helen’s memory.

Obituaries are submissions, typically from funeral homes, that are not subject to the same level of editorial oversight as the rest of the Hopkinton Independent. Obituaries may be edited for grammatical and factual mistakes and clarifications and shortened for space considerations.