Kathleen Joy Kelly (nee Mosetter) passed away peacefully on June 21st, 2026 at the age of 72.
Kathleen was born on July 19th, 1953 in Rapid City, SD. After that she was raised in Milwaukee
with her sisters where she graduated South Division High School in 1971 and moved to
Rhinelander in the late 1970’s. She met her beloved husband Tom shortly after moving to
Rhinelander, and together they raised four children in the area. What was especially nice for her
was that her sister Vicki also lived in the same town, and their collective children were able to
grow up together, something she always cherished.
Mom has always been a stubborn woman with a strong work ethic. She kept a clean home,
even with all her children in it, enjoyed cooking and baking, and loved watching her soap operas
and painting her nails after a long day at work. She worked hard and while we didn’t have much
growing up, we always had a roof over our head, food on the table, and warm hugs before bed.
As she got older and all her kids were gone, she preferred listening to Celtic music and enjoying
her peaceful, quiet home while Dad sat at the table doing crossword puzzles. Mom was quite
the collector of things: she loved anything I Love Lucy, Celtic trinkets, teapots, books, and
anything lighthouse related. She firmly believed in the value of education, always pushing her
children to read, get good grades, and attend college, which they all did. Something unique
Mom always took pride in was that one of her children (Rex) and her great-niece (Morgan)
shared a birthday with her. Three generations, same birthday, something she always liked to tell
people. This year’s birthday will feel different, but we will all celebrate her in our own way. She
loved and was proud of her children and their spouses, as well as their children. Mom was so
happy all of her children found amazing life partners who would love us and support us the way
we deserved. She always told us she wanted to be a better mother than what she had growing
up and have better opportunities than what she had, and Mom, you did a wonderful job with
that.
Mom worked for Holiday Acres for a few short years after she moved to Rhinelander and then
worked at Petersen Health Care for over two decades before having to take an early retirement
in the late 2000’s due to health issues. Unable to work and being an avid reader, she devoted a
significant amount of time reading books and doing book reviews for authors and publishing
companies. She was very proud of her book reviews and blogs and made a lot of new friends
along the way. She also enjoyed being able to spend more time with her husband Tom, taking a
few vacations and riding in their Corvette.
In 1999, Mom and Dad were introduced to the Milwaukee Irish Festival and fell in love with the
fest, music, and experience overall. They attended Irish Fest for about 10 years before their
health worsened and they could no longer make the trip. Both Mom and Dad were able to visit
Ireland twice, and both trips were highlights of their lives, so much so they want their ashes to
be scattered in Ireland, a special place for both of them.
When Dad passed in 2024, Mom was never the same. She missed him so much and has
looked forward to seeing him again. The last three years after her renal failure diagnosis have
been hard on her body, mentally and physically, but we are so grateful to have gotten this extra
time with her. We believe Mom and Dad are back together again, and that brings us all peace
and comfort.
Kathleen is survived by her four children; Jen (Casey) Wolf, Erik (Emilse) Kelly, Rex (Emily)
Kelly, and Kate (Brian) Yonker. She is also survived by her sister Vicki (Tom) Shultz, her nieces
Heather, Amy, and Nicci, nephew Jeffrey, grandchildren Cobi, Dylan, Ethan, Gavon, and
Charlie, great nephews Grady, Liam, and Ajent, great nieces Morgan, Savannah, MaKenzie,
and Mya, and last but not least, her precious cat Baby, whom she and Dad both adored. She
was preceded in death by her husband Tom Kelly, sister Jackie Mosetter, and parents.
Mom has always been adamant about not having a funeral or memorial service, so we are
honoring her wishes. We instead would like to encourage anyone (in lieu of flowers or simply in
her memory) to make a donation to the Oneida County Humane Society or to the National
Kidney Foundation. We would also like to extend our sincere gratitude to the staff at DaVita
Kidney Care, both in Rhinelander and Minocqua, and Careview Health & Rehab in Minocqua for
taking such good care of her and treating her with the utmost respect, dignity, and compassion
that she deserved.
Mom, thank you for raising us right and loving us in the best way you knew how. We are happy
that you and Dad are back together again. We miss you, and we love you more.
You may leave your private condolences for the Kelly family at www.carlsonfh.com. The Carlson Funeral Home (715-369-1414) is serving the Kelly family.
