Grace M. (Bunner) Kelly

Oak Ridge:  Grace Kelly (no, the other Grace Kelly, of Oak Ridge) passed away on January 30th, 2026, at the age of 91.  Grace is survived by her son Kevin Kelly and daughter Jeanne Oplinger and grandchildren Brendan Kelly, Aileen Kelly, Claire Oplinger, Jane Patterson and youngest, David Oplinger.  She is predeceased by her husband Peter Kelly and daughter Elizabeth (Beth) Patterson.

Grace was never very fond of her name, enduring frequent references to the actress and Princess of Monaco. She was never able to shed the shared moniker, as she found herself in love with a man who bore the same last name.  Hence a Kelly married a Kelly.  In retrospect, she concluded she benefitted by not having to change any legal documents or monograms on the towels.

She was born and raised in the Bronx, NY and never lost her thick accent, frequently adding A’s to words ending in R and R’s to words ending in A.  It was often a game asking her to say words such as “pizza” and “soda” and “her” for our entertainment.  She played along happily, over accentuating her vowels, or lack thereof.  After high school, she attended and graduated from Katharine Gibbs School and was a whiz at shorthand.  She worked for an advertising agency until shortly after she married in September of 1956.

After several years of marriage, in 1965 Grace and Pete moved their 3 children to Oak Ridge NJ to be in the country.  Rural life was an adjustment for Grace.  Approximately one month in, Pete was away on a business trip and called late at night to check in.  This was the era of one landline on the wall.  Phones rang much longer in those days without the assistance of an answering machine or voicemail, especially late at night.  On this occasion she answered on the 1st ring.  “What are you doing up so late?” Pete asked.  “Packing!” she replied.  He was unaware she had experienced a close encounter that afternoon with the Jefferson wildlife involving a deer and a local hunter.  She was heading back to New York!  Eventually, she adjusted to the bucolic setting and Jefferson Township became home for the next 60 years.

She loved her home dearly and was very proud of it.  Our parents were generous with their house, not only with the way they entertained but occasionally taking in people who needed a place to stay. She kept an immaculate home, even in her elderly years when getting around was difficult.  We often joked as kids that she caught the dust bunnies before they hit the floor.  The house flowed with the seasons through the smells and decor, and you always knew it was change of season by the change of curtains.  She enjoyed a good crisp curtain.

Grace’s love language was food.  She was a good cook and cooked in plentiful amounts.    She could whip up a Pesto on demand any time, day or night.  She enjoyed feeding people. No one can ever say they left the Kelly household hungry.  We often joked she must have cooked for a soup kitchen in a past life because she always cooked in volume.  The house smelled wonderful, especially in the fall, when there was a pot of sauce on the stove or she was making applesauce.  There were always ample leftovers and guests never left without enough food to feed an army platoon.

She was an avid reader and enjoyed varied subjects.   She had a fascination with true crimes and Russian history, especially the Czars and would engage anyone who wanted to discuss it.  Her pension for language and words dictated her morning routine.  Without fail, you could find her sitting at the kitchen table with her coffee doing the crossword puzzle, making her a formidable Scrabble opponent. 

She enjoyed art and music as well.  She had a fondness for Italian Opera which connected her to her childhood, and time spent with her grandfather listening on the radio.

She was a good dancer and our parents occasionally put on Benny Goodman and busted out the moves in the living room.  She even went through a disco faze in the 70’s dancing to the soundtrack from Saturday Night Fever.  All were encouraged to join in.

Later in life she discovered Tole Painting and became quite a good painter.  Most of her close friends have at least one of her pieces and you can find her artwork dotted all over the house.

She had an uncanny ability to call her adult children the minute they sat down to eat a meal.  It didn’t matter which meal, breakfast lunch or dinner.  We occasionally wondered if she did it on purpose.  In general, she had a sixth sense that was freakishly accurate.  You could not put anything past her.  She just knew.

She had a deep voice and was often mistaken for her husband Pete on the phone; she never bothered to correct them and was known to hold conversations on his behalf.

Grace was extremely honest and you always knew what she was thinking.  She was fierce, and that fierceness translated to her love for her family.  She could be outspoken, but you knew it came from a place of deep love, desiring only the best for her children, grandchildren and those closest to her.

Finally, she always led with humor.  That was her secret sauce, the thing that made her sparkle and drew people to her.  She was a downright character!  She had the ability to see and express humor in almost any situation without fail.  That, is what we will all miss the most!  Grace (mom, Nonna), we will miss you dearly, but we are left with memories of great food, good company and stories filled with laughter.

A memorial Mass will be held 10am on Tuesday, February 10, 2026 at St. Mary's Church, Wharton.

Interment will be private.

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