In Memoriam

Loretta Kelley

1932 - 2015

Long time member of the Rip Van Wrinkle Club, & Past Secretary of the BCOA, Loretta Kelley passed away on
February 1, 2015, in Austin, Texas.
She was born June 19, 1932, to Louis and Agnes Kelley in Kansas City, Kan. Loretta graduated from St. Teresa College (now Avila University, Kansas City, Mo.) with a major in Business and a minor in Education and Philosophy. Upon graduation, she taught business courses at St. Teresa's Academy and Loretta Academy. Loretta joined IBM in Kansas City in 1963 and retired from IBM in Austin in 1992. During her career in IBM, Loretta served in many positions in product and business management.

While in Austin, Loretta became involved with a great passion of hers: basenji dogs. She became nationally recognized for breeding and showing them. Her last basenji, Champion Bandit (Itty) predeceased her by two months.

On a regular basis she enjoyed meeting the "Golf Ladies." She had never played golf but she was readily accepted in the group. Loretta also had an interest in opera and would make trips to Houston for an opera weekend. Loretta was initially a member of St. Louis and later St. Theresa Roman Catholic Church where she ministered to members unable to get to church. More recently, she sang in the St. Theresa Occasional Choir. Published in Kansas City Star on Feb. 15, 2015

From the May Wrinkler, 2000

March 5, 2000
Dear Susan, Again the RVW newsletter was outstanding.

The story “An Old Dog's Winter Night” really hit home. Been there and done that many times
and gone through several flashlights plus gobs of batteries.
In fact, I am in the “up at night” mode right now. Danny, who turned 16 in February, gets up at night,
sometimes several times. Usually he only wants a drink. He gets off the bed fine, but can't jump up on the bed anymore.
So, I turn on the TV to give him light enough to see his way.
Then I lay listening until I don't hear him drinking, so I get up to lift him (30 pounds) back to bed.

Some years ago one of the Basenjis that slept with my brother needed to go out at night.
My brother did not sense the dog's movement. So, I set my alarm. At 3 a.m., when the alarm went off,
I got the flashlight, slipped out of bed and the room, without waking the two sleeping in my bed.
I walked down the hall, woke the dog, and put him out. Without waking my two bed bugs, I slipped back into my room and bed.

It's amazing what we will do for our beloved basenjis…....Loretta Kelley

Some of her lovely L's Basenjis, as shown in the "Years of the American Basenji".