Kathleen Scales

WAYNESVILLE, N.C. - Kathleen O'Kelley Scales, formerly of Portageville, Mo., died Jan. 26, 2002, in Waynesville, following a long illness. She recently celebrated her 86th birthday.

Kathleen, or "Katie" to her friends, was born Jan. 7, 1916, in Patton, Mo., daughter of the late Dr. Henry T. and Ora Conrad O'Kelley, she moved to Portageville at an early age.

Residing in Portageville until 1997 when she moved to Memphis, Tenn., to live with her daughter and son-in-law, she played an active part in the Portageville community for many years. A graduate of Portageville High School, she was on the school's championship girl's basketball team and valedictorian of her senior class.

In 1938, she was united in marriage to Calvin Scales of Wardell who died in 1985.

As a young bride she taught grades one through eight in a one-room school house in the Point Pleasant community. A mother of two, she supported many school activities and community projects, was a member of the Portageville Garden Club and taught Sunday School at the Portageville United Methodist Church where she and her family attended. She was a member of PEO Sisterhood for 50 years. Always keeping an inquisitive mind, she and other close friends continued a book study club for nearly 25 years. Even as her health failed her she maintained her gentle humor, concern for others and fond memories of Portageville.

She is survived by one daughter and son-in-law, Judy Scales and Cecil Jernigan of Waynesville; one son, Gary Scales of Knoxville, Tenn.; two brothers, Hal O'Kelley of Yuma, Ariz., and Pat O'Kelley of Kansas City; and two granddaughters, Susanne Powell of Chapel Hill, N.C., and Meg Stone of New York City, N.Y.

She was also preceded in death by two brothers, Thomas Kent O'Kelley and Daniel Zachariah O'Kelley.

The family will receive friends at 5 p.m. Thursday at DeLisle Funeral Home in Portageville where a memorial service will begin at 6 p.m. in the funeral home chapel. Guests are invited to a reception immediately following the memorial service.

A private burial will be held Friday morning at the Portageville Cemetery.

Memorial contributions

may be sent to the

United Methodist Church

East Fifth St.

Portageville, Mo. 63873

Paid obituary