Sally Jo Kelm passed away on Thursday, September 15, 2022 at St. Francis Manor in Grinnell.

A Celebration of Life gathering will be held on Saturday, October 29, 2022 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm at the Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell. Private burial will be at the Trinity Lutheran Church north of Malcom.

In Sally's memory, memorials may be designated to the Trinity Lutheran Church Cemetery Association and mailed in care of the Smith Funeral Home, PO Box 368, Grinnell, IA 50112. Memories and condolences may be shared with her family online at www.smithfh.com.

Sally was born on January 12, 1955, in Grinnell, Iowa to LaVerne and Avis (Cogley) Kelm. She graduated from Grinnell High School in 1973 and received her BA in 1977 from the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Sally taught for 32 years in the South Tama School District in Tama, Iowa.

She enjoyed traveling, which included California, Arizona, Florida, London, Puerto Vallarta, and she enjoyed all the local Iowa events throughout her years, including being an Iowa Hawkeye fan. She also enjoyed the many years of playing cards with her friends. She was the best aunt to her sisters' children; taking them on summer trips and spoiling them.

Sally is survived by her sisters, Lynn (Terry) Cline of Grinnell, Paula Devereux of Grinnell, and June (Scott) Waage of Denver, Colorado; nieces and nephews, Peter (Juliann) Cline, Amy (Jason) Levang, Julie (Brian) Sharar, Jill (Em) Danh, Daniel (Randi) Devereux, Ryan (Emily) Waage, and Lauren Waage; great nieces and nephews, Sydney (Steven) Tallman, Molly (Joe) Brennan, Jacob and Sam Levang, Cody (Diamond) Sharar, Shania Sharar, Jacob and Averi Devereux; great great niece, Rhea Sharar; and Dee, Joe, and Jon, Stan and Ilona, and Alice and many Tama friends, all who Sally considered as family. Sally was preceded in death by her parents and niece, Terri Lynn Cline.