Pauline Polly Kelley

Mrs. Pauline Rabil Kelley, of Winston-Salem and Rocky Mount, died peacefully Tuesday, November 18, 2008 at Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home in Winston-Salem. She was born in Rocky Mount, NC on March 24, 1915 to the late B.D. Rabil and Beulah Striman. ""Polly"", as she liked to be called, moved to Cleveland, OH in her teenage years with her two late brothers, Albert and Lester Rabil and two sisters Thelma Lanhan of Cleveland OH and Margaret Greenwood of Newberry Park, CA. At the age of 18, Polly moved back to Rocky Mount to work in her brother's Vogue Dress Shop until her marriage to L.C. ""Cliff"" Kelley, Jr. on June 24, 1935. They were happily married for over 62 years until his untimely death in 1992. During their married life, they raised two children, Linda Carole Knight of Diamond Bar, CA and Steve C. Kelley of Winston-Salem. She was an active member of the First Baptist Church of Rocky Mount. In 1956 Polly realized her dream of opening The Carole Dress Shop at 118 Sunset Avenue in Rocky Mount. With her warm personality, natural talent for colors and style, the business grew. Loyal customers came from all over Eastern North Carolina to shop at Carole's. In 1964, realizing that her customers had to go out of town for bridal gowns and prom dresses; she renovated the upstairs to create The Brides Room. She expanded the business to offer a large selection of bridal gowns and formal wear. She delighted in serving the second generation of her customers who would bring their daughters in for their selections of formals and beautiful bridal attire (usually personally selected by Polly during her buying trips to New York and California). After a long successful career of fashion and serving her customers, now long time friends, she retired the Shop in 1989. In 1996, she moved to Winston-Salem to be near her son, daughter-in-law, Laura and new granddaughter, Erin. She joined Calvary Baptist Church. Polly flourished through the years enjoying her ""families"" on both sides of the United States and in 1998 she started traveling on the ""Three Sister's Vacation"" each year for seven years with her two sisters, niece Sandy Sidoti and daughter. A life lived in beauty and the joy of love was shared by her four surviving grandchildren (known to them as Meenu), Kelley Carole Reynolds and husband Charles of Las Vegas, NV, Erin Elizabeth and Ryan Clifton Kelley of Winston-Salem and five great grandchildren, Veronica, Penelope and Shane Reynolds and Ryan and Macy Litt. A funeral service will be conducted 11:00AM Friday, November 21, 2008 at Hayworth-Miller Silas Creek Chapel. A graveside service will be conducted 12:00 PM Saturday at Pineview Cemetery in Rocky Mount. The will receive friends following the service at First Baptist Church in Rocky Mount. The family would like to extend their deepest appreciation to Dr. Franklin Watkins and the staff at the Sticht Center at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and to the compassionate and skilled staff at Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home.

Memorials:
Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association-Western Carolina Chapter; 3800 Shamrock Drive, Charlotte, NC 28215.

Cemetery:
Pineview Cemetery

Service:
Service at 11:00am on November 21, 2008 at Hayworth-Miller Silas Creek Chapel Service at 12:00pm on November 22, 2008 at Pineview Cemetery