Beverly Jean Kelly

July 24, 1934 - December 28, 2020

Beverly “Bev” Jean Kelly, age 86, of Glendive, Montana, passed away on Monday, December 28, 2020 at the Heritage Assisted Living in Glendive. Visitation will be held from 1:00 P.M. until 5:00 P.M. on Wednesday, December 30, 2020 at the Silha Funeral Home in Glendive. Graveside services will be held at 10:00 A.M. on Thursday, December 31, 2020 at Dawson County Cemetery in Glendive. Silha Funeral Home of Glendive has been entrusted with the arrangements. Bev was born on July 24, 1934 on a farm in Jessie, North Dakota, a daughter of Lewis and Helen (Retzlaff) LaPlant. She attended school in rural Griggs County and graduated from Cooperstown High School in 1951. She then went on to attend Valley City State College for one year. Bev moved to Glendive in the fall of 1962 and began teaching at Lincoln Elementary School. She graduated in the summer of 1963 with a Bachelors in Elementary Education from Valley City State College. Bev met the love of her life Bernard Kelly and they were later married on December 20. Bev and Bernie loved dancing and traveling. They had been married for 48 years at the time of his passing on July 8, 2013 and Bev had been looking forward to waltzing with Bernie in Heaven. Bev and Bernie were always willing to help others and their home was always open to them as well. They often fostered kids and also boarded nieces and nephews who needed a place to stay during high school. Bev was known to have two green thumbs and was a wonderful gardener. She and Bernie raised enough produce to feed half of Glendive. They also canned hundreds of quarts of applesauce and cherry pies from their apple and cherry trees. All of which they shared with their family and friends. Later in life Bev became known as the “bionic woman.” She had had four hip surgeries, four back surgeries, a shoulder replacement, and a knee replacement. Dr. Joan Dickson (Mutt) was a great friend and wonderful doctor and caretaker. She was a saint in Mom’s eyes. She was preceded in death by her parents, Lewis and Helen; and her husband, Bernie. Bev is survived by her four children, Connie (Jesse) Barnhart of Broadus, Montana, Kevin (Jana) Kelly of Brussett, Montana, Casey (Jani) Kelly of Elko, Nevada, and Cody (Whisper) Kelly of Miles City, Montana; nine grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; four siblings, Don LaPlant of Bozeman, Montana, Joanne Burleson of Sheridan, Wyoming, Sharon (Bob) Fors of Larimore, North Dakota, and Darlene Quam of Tolna, North Dakota; and numerous nieces and nephews. Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at: www.silhafuneralhomes.com.