Nancy J. Kelley, age 76, died at Saint Luke's South Hospital in Overland Park, KS on March 5, 2026.  Born June 4, 1949, in Galesburg, IL to Wayne and Margaret Milton Johnson.  She graduated from Denison High School in Denison IA in 1967, and from the University of Kansas in 1971.  On August 17, 1985, she married James W Kelley in Topeka.

 
She lived in the cities of Galesburg IL, Chicago IL, Cleveland OH, Indianapolis IN, and Denison IA before attending the University of Kansas.  She worked at the Kansas Museum of Natural History at KU for four years before a long career as the District One Administrative Officer at the Kansas Department of Transportation.  She retired from KDOT in Topeka March of 2004.  After retirement she also worked part-time for six years as a Patient Care Tech in the Post-Surgical Department of Stormont-Vail Hospital.

Nancy was a member of the KU Alumni Association, the KU Williams Educational Fund, and the Topeka Jayhawk Club where she had been the Membership Chair for many years and more recently president. She was a charter member of the P.E.O. Chapter HW, the Lake Shawnee evening ladies golf league, a volunteer mentor for HCCI, and had volunteered for Junior Achievement for several years.  Two of her hobbies were golf and the Jayhawks.  With her partner she played many area ladies tournaments as well as ladies golf on Wednesday evenings at Lake Shawnee.  Nancy and Jim had season tickets to KU football and basketball games, and attended some out of town games as well.  

Survivors include four sisters Patricia (Jack) Tenhulzen of Florence MT, Susan Poncini of Seattle WA, Cynthia (Tom) Parker of Ceresco MI, and Kathy Davis of Blairsville GA, and three brothers Richard Johnson of Florence AZ, Robert Johnson (Heather) of Charlotte NC, and Thomas Johnson (Jodi) of Naperville IL and step-son Darrell (Terri) Kelley of Beloit KS.  She is also survived by twelve nieces and nephews and three step-grandchildren.  She was preceded in death by her husband Jim, her father, her mother, and a niece.

In 2020, after 35 years in Topeka she moved to Overland Park to be closer to (the Cheesecake Factory, HaHa) her niece Nikki Thompson, her husband Bryce Hagerman, and their two endearing daughters Kylee and Katy.  

Honoring her request, she will be cremated after donating her organs.  Cremains will be buried in the Jewell Cemetery, Jewell KS at a later date next to her husband Jim.  There will be no services.

Memorial contributions can be sent to the NE Kansas Parkinson’s Association, PO Box 67342 Topeka KS 66601 nekpa.com, or to The House at Midland Care, 200 SW Frazier Circle, Topeka KS 66606.