Wanda Hicks Kelley

The Heart of the House

Wanda Mae Hicks Kelley, 90, of Beaumont, Texas passed away on Monday, April 27, 2026. She was born on June 14, 1935 to Hardy and Alma Hicks in New Orleans, Louisiana. It wasn’t long before the family moved back to the Beaumont area where she began school.  She graduated from South Park High School and attended Lamar University to major in music. Her college plans were interrupted temporarily when Duane proposed Christmas of 1952. She and Duane married in June of 1953. After the birth of a son and a daughter, they felt a call to the ministry and moved to Marshall, Texas to attend East Texas Baptist College. Wanda graduated with a degree in Elementary Education in 1962. While in Marshall, they welcomed another daughter.

Wanda’s many hats included pastor’s wife, Mom, teacher, pianist, soloist, secretary, seamstress, caretaker, and many others. Her life’s journey took her to from New Orleans, to Silsbee, Beaumont, Marshall, Avery, Burleson, Lake Jackson, Liberty, and back to Beaumont upon retirement. Many friends and memories were made along the way. Her commitment to the Lord is found in the hymn, “Wherever He Leads I’ll Go.”

A Word from Her Husband

Psalm 128:1 says, “Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord and walks in His ways.” It goes on to say to the men, “Your wife shall be like a faithful vine in the very heart of your house; your children like olive plants all around your table. Behold thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord.”

The verses above are a perfect description of Wanda. She was the “heart of the house.” She often said, “All I ever wanted to be was a wife and mother. That is my calling.” She was an excellent wife and mother for seventy-two years and saw her children grow up loving the Lord and was blessed to see her children’s children to the fifth generation.

Wanda served in several roles during her ninety years. She was an excellent pastor’s wife which means that she lived in a “gold fish bowl,” and she did it with grace. She was always active in church, playing the piano or organ, directing children’s choirs and teaching 5-year-olds in Sunday School. There was a time when she taught in the elementary grades in public school. After her school teaching years, she became the secretary and ministry assistant for the Trinity River Baptist Association. She loved her teaching years and she equally loved working with the pastors and churches of the association. She never wavered from her calling to be a wife and mother. She would remind me that all the things that she had ever done were to help support me in ministry.

I have truly been blessed by Wanda’s love and commitment as have her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchild.

The Olive Plants

Wanda is survived by her husband, Duane, of seventy-two years; son, Van (Sue) Kelley, of Brookings, SD; daughters, Carolyn (Lindsay) Barnes of Vidor, TX and Janet (Phillip) Ross of Bullard, TX; grandchildren, Rachel (Matt) Franklin of Lexington, KY; Elly Jo (Reese) Wagner of Tulare, SD; Emily (Marcus) Kelley of Denver, CO; Jeremy (Ame) Franks of Vidor, TX; Jay (Jennifer) Kelley of Brookings, SD; JV (Elizabeth) Kelley of Eau Claire, WI; Jonathan (Kristin) Franks of Orange, TX; Elizabeth Ginsel-Krysko (Steven Krysko) of Fort Worth, TX; Jason (Haley) Ross of Lake Jackson, TX; Jacob (Kimberly) Franks of Vidor, TX; Sarah (Craig) Shirley of Canyon Lake, TX; and Judge Kelley (Ryan Souter) of  Worthing, SD. Bonus grandchildren, Brittney (Devin) Palomino and Jordan (Paulina) Barnes of Lake Charles, LA. She is survived by her great-grandchildren, Avery, Audrey, and Tucker Franklin; Weston, Jocelyn, and Abby Wagner; Finnian Kelley; Jovie Coleman and Lexi Palomino; Tessa, Tyler, and Lucas Franks; Jeffery (Angie Morales) Everman, Jadyn, Jenna, and Jackson Kelley; Grace, Maple, and Dalton Kelley; Allee (Spencer) Brister and Judd Franks; Parker, Rowan and Daphne Ginsel, Cohen and Cooper Krysko; Jaxon, Milena, and Ashton Barnes; Maddox Stanford; Benjamin, Carter, and Joe Franks; Lily and Emily Shirley; great-great-grandchild, Lilly Morales; stepbrothers, Donald Wells of Charlottesville, VA and Robert (Ann) Wells of Shoreline, WA; stepsister, Vivian Dames; and her cousin, Mary (Ed) Burks of Beaumont, TX.

Wanda is preceded in death by her parents, and great-grandson, Titus Franklin.

A special thank you to Pat Kelley whose endless devotion allowed Wanda to remain at home as her health progressively failed. Thank you to the hospice family that willingly met the needs of our family.

A gathering of Mrs. Kelley’s family and friends will be from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., Sunday, May 3, 2026, at Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont. Her funeral service will be 10:00 a.m., Monday, May 4, 2026, at Broussard’s, with her interment to follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Beaumont.