Maureen Amelia Kelly, 87, longtime resident of the Brookfield area, died January 27 at the Regional Hospice and Palliative Care Center for Comfort Care and Healing in Danbury. Born on May 29, 1930, in Birkenhead, England, she was the daughter of  Sarah Gallagher Carton and Robert Carton, originally of Falcarragh, Donegal, Ireland.

Her five children and their spouses, Tara and Christopher Riccardi of Newtown; Stephen and Nancy Kelly of Northport, N.Y.; Maureen and Randall Murphy of Newburyport, Mass.; Shane and Carrie Kelly of Southbury; and Brian of Woodbury, survive her. Also surviving her are eight grandchildren, Brynn Kelly, Patrick Riccardi, Daniel Kelly, Jack Murphy, Shane Kelly, Caroline Kelly, Kevin Riccardi, and Megan Riccardi.

Her brother, Vincent Carton, predeceased her in 2004.

During the height of World War II, Mrs Kelly was sent to live with relatives in Donegal to keep her safe from German bombings; and her years there gave birth to a lifelong love of Irish culture in all its many forms.

In 1950, she left England, coming to the United States. Although Mrs Kelly planned to stay only a year or two, while working for the New York Central Railway, she met Henry T. Kelly, whom she married on May 5, 1956. The two were inseparable and shared 57 happy years of marriage, until Henry's death on April 1, 2014.

The early years of their marriage were spent in Yonkers, N.Y. In 1969, they moved to Donegal, Ireland, where Mrs Kelly operated a bed and breakfast. Upon their return to the United States in 1973, they bought a home in Candlewood Shores in Brookfield, living there for many years with their five children.

Mrs Kelly was a longtime employee of Grolier in Danbury. For a number of years, she was a manager at the Kelly Girls Services also in Danbury. In addition, she enjoyed selling Fuller Brush and Mary Kay Cosmetics products.

After retiring, Mrs Kelly traveled the world with her husband, and they lived for several years in Sarasota, Fla., before returning to Connecticut five years ago.

Family and friends may call at the Honan Funeral Home, 58 Main Street, Newtown, on Wednesday, January 31, from 5 to 8 pm.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St Mary's Church, 24 Dodgingtown Road, Bethel, on Thursday, February 1, at 11 am, with interment to follow at St Mary's Cemetery, Bethel.

Donations in memory of Mrs Kelly may be made to Regional Hospice and Palliative Care in Danbury at regionalhospicect.org.

For condolences, visit honanfh.com.