Ellen Kelly Smith

Ellen Wolz Kelly (Fairbanks) Smith died on Sunday, October 11, 2026, of Lewy Body Dementia. She was 85 years old and proud of her age. Ellen was born June 2, 1941, in Des Moines, Iowa to Herbert Dawson Kelly and Katherine Dee Wolz Kelly. Ellen graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1959 and earned her B.A. in Psychology from Grinnell College in 1963. At Grinnell, she met her first husband, Grant Fairbanks, Jr. They were married on December 30, 1962, and moved to Massachusetts. In 1966, Ellen completed her Master’s Degree in Education at Boston University and began her career as an educator, which spanned more than 40 years. She worked as a classroom teacher and reading specialist before serving as principal of three schools in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. She led Beal Early Childhood Center, oversaw the construction and staffing of the new Floral Street Elementary School, and was later called out of retirement to lead Spring Street Elementary School when it needed a strong leader. Her mantra was “Education is our gift to the future.” In her spare time she served on the Shrewsbury School Committee; was a Camp Fire leader; and sang in the choir at the First Congregational Church of Shrewsbury and with The Master Singers of Worcester. For more than 35 years, she vacationed every summer in Wellfleet, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where she especially loved the hydrangeas, Mayo Beach, PJ’s onion rings, the 4th of July road race and parade, Gull Pond, and spending time with her family and friends.

On a flight to Des Moines, Ellen had the good fortune to meet Sydney David Smith, who was seated next to her on the flight. After Grant and Ellen divorced in 2000, Ellen and Syd began dating and, on June 26, 2004, were married. In 2009 they purchased a home in Des Moines, Iowa, just two blocks from Ellen’s childhood home. They remained in their Des Moines home until 2022 when they moved to an apartment at Wesley Acres. Momo and Papa, as they were known to their grandchildren, were the very best kind of grandparents. They added a pool to their backyard, a basketball hoop to the driveway, a game table to their basement, and a finished space in the attic for the grandchildren to play and spend the night. They hosted sleepovers, birthday parties, and Easter egg hunts. Their grandchildren helped decorate their Christmas tree and set up the Christmas Village, made cookies with Momo, enjoyed weekly trips to McDonald’s with Papa, played dress up, had tea parties, read books, swam in the pool, and walked to Snookies Malt Shop with Momo (who always loved a sweet treat).

Ellen and Syd made the most of their years together and enjoyed trips to Australia, Hawaii, Prague, Greece, Lesotho (Africa), and many U.S. destinations to ensure that Momo never missed a wedding, graduation, or family reunion. They adopted two black labs from the Animal Rescue League – Buddy and Duffy – who became their devoted companions and each lived to be 16 years old. Momo gardened, quilted, played bridge, sang in the choir at Grace United Methodist Church, and used her skills as a negotiator, educator, planner and diplomat to solve problems for her family and friends and to coordinate many family gatherings. Her wise counsel will be sorely missed by all who knew and loved her.

Ellen was preceded in death by her sister, Martha Moselle Kelly, and by her first husband, Grant Fairbanks, Jr. She leaves behind her husband of 22 years, Syd Smith; her daughters, Katherine and Martha (Chad), her stepdaughter, Anne Campbell (Jim); her grandchildren, Austin, Isabel, Alonzo, Cameron, Brendan, Audrey, and Kapri; her honorary grandchildren, including Chase Sargent, Genevieve Blair, Kathy Velez, and Cora Terry; her brothers, Ronald Kelly (Martha) of Storrs, CT and Michael Kelly of Alexandria, VA; her beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins, her brothers-in-law, Lee Fairbanks (Annie) and Steve Smith (Sue); her fellow educators in Massachusetts; her quilting friends in Iowa; her beloved friend Kathleen Forletta; the Arntz family who shared the Wellfleet summers and holidays in Massachusetts; and many others who were privileged to enjoy the light and warmth she shared with those she loved.