Patricia Cecelia Kelley, age 86, of Toms River, NJ died Wednesday, May 1 from complications of Alzheimer’s illness. Mrs. Kelley resided at Palm Gardens Nursing Center, Port St. Lucie since 2007. Mrs. Kelley was born on December 22, 1926 in Hoboken, N.J, the only daughter of the late Cecelia and James McGrath. Mrs. Kelley attended the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Jersey City before obtaining her nursing degree from Holy Name Hospital of Nursing in Teaneck. After graduation, Mrs. Kelley met her late husband, Joseph Gerard Kelley and they married on September 29, 1948 at the Church of St. Nicholas in Jersey City. Mr. Kelley was a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, serving in WWII in the Battle of Guadalcanal, the Solomon Islands and Tulagi. Mrs. Kelley and her husband moved from north Jersey to Toms River, N.J. during the early 1950's. Her mother, Cecelia McGrath, moved to Toms River in 1953 and lived with Mr. and Mrs. Kelley for most of her remaining life. Mrs. Kelley worked as an RN at the Ocean County Health Department, Community Memorial Hospital and Bayview Nursing Center in Bayville for several years from the 1950's into the 1970's. Mrs. Kelley and her husband were members of St. Joseph's Parish. In 1992 Mrs. Kelley moved to North Carolina to be near her daughters Denise and Mary. Mrs. Kelley resided in assisted living and nursing centers in Asheville, N.C. from 1992-2007. In 2007 she moved to Port St.Lucie, Florida to be near her youngest daughter, Kathleen. She is survived by three daughters: Denise Kelley, of Asheville, NC; Mary DeHart of Sylva, NC and Kathleen Kelley of Fort Pierce, FL; three grand-children: Joseph Kelley, of Port St. Lucie, FL, Valerie DeHart, and Jordan DeHart of Sylva, NC; three great-grandchildren: Jared Kelley, Adriana Kelley and Joseph Carter Kelley of Port. St. Lucie, FL; one nephew, Stuart Kelley of Hoschton, GA. Mrs. Kelley will be greatly missed by all her family. Friends of Mrs. Kelley and her family will be welcomed at the Tilghman Funeral Home , 52 Main Street in New Egypt, NJ on Monday, May 6 for a viewing from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM and funeral services at 12:30 PM. Burial will follow in the BGWCD Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Wrightstown. Please visit the website: http://www.tilghmanfh.com/ to send condolences. In lieu of flowers please send donations to Treasure Cove Hospice of Port St. Lucie, 10360 South Federal Highway, Port St. Lucie, Florida 34952.