Elaine R. Kelley

Elaine Ruby Kelley, 81, died September 5, 2022, after a prolonged illness.  Elaine was born March 23, 1941 in Providence, RI to William and Dorothy Blanchard.  She was raised in Windham, NH along with her 4 brothers and 1 sister.

Elaine graduated from Nashua High School and later went to do various jobs.  She worked for various places including RDF, MACOM, Mongomery Wards, and Merrimack Jewelers.

She worked at Bise’s IGA in Merrimack, NH where she met the love of her life, Edward Kelley, who would soon ask her son’s Bruce Reichard and Steven Reichard (from a previous marriage to Paul Reichard) for their mother’s hand in marriage.  Elaine and Ed were married on July 12, 1986.

Elaine and Ed traveled together, played cribbage together, were members of Londonderry Christian Church, and were known in their development as “Elaine and Ed” or “the couple who hold hands when they walk”.  In the last few years, Parkinson’s Disease made traveling and activities difficult.  Elaine was home-bound the last year of her life receiving many visits from those who knew and loved her.

Elaine was known for her cheerfulness, her beautifully decorated home, her sense of humor and her kindness.  She was predeceased by her twin brothers Kenneth and William Blanchard of Hudson, NH, and her brother Wayne “Butch” Blanchard of Ocala, FL.  She will be missed dearly by her loving and faithful husband Edward Kelley of Manchester, NH, her brother Charles (and Lois) Blanchard of Hudson, NH, her sister Laurel Lewis of Londonderry, NH, her son Bruce Reichard (and Dijana Grubesic) of Portsmouth, NH, her son Steven (and Patricia) Reichard of Hudson, NH, Nathan Kelley of Henniker, NH, Edward Kelley of Hampton, NH, six grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, neighbors, friends and wonderful hospice workers.

A visitation will be held on Monday, September 12^th from 11am-12pm at The Phaneuf Funeral Home & Crematorium, 243 Hanover Street in Manchester. A funeral service will follow at 12pm in the funeral home. Interment at New Hampshire State Veteran Cemetery at 1:30pm. Family and friends are kindly invited to attend.