In Memoriam

Marolyn K. Kellner, 80

August 4, 1941 – February 18, 2022

COOPERSTOWN – Marolyn Elizabeth Kelly Kellner died peacefully, surrounded by her family, on February 18, 2022 in Greenville, SC. She was born August 4, 1941, the daughter of James Robert (JR) Kelly Jr. and Lura Elizabeth (Betty) Johnson. She grew up in Hamburg, NY and graduated from Hamburg High School. She attended Indiana State College in Indiana, PA and then transferred to and graduated from University of Buffalo. She married Bruce Dana Kellner in 1964. Daughter Christi was born while Bruce was enrolled in a MBA degree program at the University of Chicago and Marolyn was teaching third grade. They welcomed son Peter when they moved to Big Flats, NY, where Bruce worked as an engineer at Corning Glass. In 1974, the family moved to Cooperstown, NY, where Bruce and Marolyn opened a NAPA auto parts store which they operated until 1998. Marolyn had several jobs in Cooperstown in addition to her work at NAPA. She worked in the finance department at Bassett Hospital in different roles starting in 1985 until the time of her move to Greenville. She also worked for several summers at the Cooperstown Dreams Park as an Assistant Director in the finance department.

Bruce died in 2002 from pancreatic cancer after a three week illness. Marolyn stayed in Cooperstown until 2007 when she moved to Greenville, SC to be closer to family. She met Idaho native Robert (Bob) Vannoy on a Colorado River rafting trip in May of 2008. Bob moved to Greenville in October 2008, continuing their adventure together. They were married in October 2011. 

Marolyn is survived by her husband, Bob Vannoy, her sister Judith Robinson of Middletown Springs, VT, her daughter Christianne Dana Kellner and her husband Ronald Hitzelberger of Greenville, SC, and son, Peter Hans Dana Kellner and his wife Catherine Meunier of San Francisco. She is further survived by her beloved grandchildren, Jayden Mae Hitzelberger, Carley Dana Elizabeth Hitzelberger and Maximillian Hans Dana Kellner; many nieces and nephews, her fantastic group of five of her closest childhood friends, dear friend Margaret McGown, many friends in Cooperstown, Greenville and around the globe as well as her granddog, Lola. She was predeceased by her parents, her sister Patricia Foster and her brother-in-law Howard Robinson.

Marolyn enjoyed traveling. She and three friends went to Paris in 2003 for her first trip to Europe, which sparked a love of travel for the rest of her life. Two years later they traveled to Rome. In the fall of 2005, she and a childhood friend took a trip to Afghanistan where they observed a school for refugee girls sponsored by her friend’s Quaker meeting. They traveled the entire country and stayed with families in several cities. She and Bob took several European trips and spent weeks touring Italy enjoying the food and wine. She also traveled annually for over 20 years to St. John, USVI, often with friends and family from Greenville and Cooperstown.

Marolyn was a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Greenville, SC.. Memorials may be sent to United Ministries or the music department of Westminster Presbyterian Church.

A brief graveside service will be held at First Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Cooperstown on Monday, August 8, 2022 at 3:00pm sharp.