Joyce Joan Kellam

Joyce Joan Unger Kellam (95) of Carmel, Indiana passed away 1.6.2018. Born to Hannah Fern (Brookie) Unger and Lloyd Unger 9.12.1922 on a farm in Boone County, Indiana. She was preceded in death (7.16.90) by her loving husband of 48 years Dr. Raymond O. Kellam (Captain USN & Judge). She attended schools in Indiana, Dover, until third grade and then Cutler schools through High School. She graduated from Ball State University with a degree in Music Education and a minor in Business.

Joyce was a music teacher in Winamac IN., worked in an RCA plant in Bloomington IN, a typing teacher, a substitute teacher, and a choir director at a Presbyterian church in Virginia. She was most proud of being a full time wife and mother.

Joyce is survived by Steve Kellam (son) Nancy (Willson) Kellam(daughter-in-law), Matt (Amanda Littke) Kellam & Mark Kellam (grandsons), Susan (Kellam) Adney (daughter) John Adney (son-in-law), Tom and Scott (Cristy Merrill) Adney (grandsons), Sheri (Kellam) Sullivan (daughter), John Sullivan (son-in-law) Hillary (Mark) Doerries and Kate (Kurtis) Wallace (granddaughters) and Ella Rae Wallace (great granddaughter). Also preceded in death by Lloyd Unger (father) Hannah Brookie Unger (mother), Wanda Johnson, Gwen Flora, Gay Poppe and Hilma Stickler (sisters).

Joyce was married for 48 years to her beloved Raymond O. Kellam. She was an accomplished vocalist who sang on the radio in Chicago IL on the weekends. She also was an accompanist for musical theatre. In her younger years she played violin and continued to play piano even at 95! Never a shrinking violet, she had a dramatic soprano voice noteworthy as a soloist and in choirs. Joyce grew up on a farm with four sisters. As a child she enjoyed the outdoors and in later life became a wonderful gardener with the most amazing azalea’s when she lived at her home in Fairfax, VA. Her home in Virginia was on a garden registry. When she moved back to Carmel, Indiana in 2005 she also cared for the many plants at her home.

Music was always at the forefront of her activities and she continued her music studies at Ball State University, where she met her husband, Raymond O. Kellam. She was a military wife for 30 years, forging friendships wherever they were stationed. The family first started out in New Castle, Indiana for over three years, where Steve and Susan were born.  The family lived in Guam, San Francisco, San Diego, Long Beach &, Monterey, California; Fairfax, Virginia and Dallas, Texas. As a mother, she instilled the love of music in all her children, giving them music lessons and taking them to musical productions. Living in Virginia, she helped history come alive by taking the children to all to various historical sites throughout Virginia and the Washington DC area. She was a fierce advocate for all her children. She instilled a work ethic in them and showed an unconditional love throughout their lives. She would tell you she did not like to cook or sew. But, she was an amazing cook and seamstress. She also dabbled in making ceramics and enjoyed the entire process from beginning to end. In her later years she was very involved with her church Bible studies and a great reader of books.

Over her life time Joyce was involved with many organizations. Some of those include Garden Club of Fairfax, Virginia; Ball State University Alumni; Carmel Christian Church (Disciples of Christ); Covenant Presbyterian Church in Long Beach, CA.; United Methodist Church in Coronado, CA.; Presbyterian Church in Fairfax, VA.; Disciples of Christ Church in Fairfax, VA., several Bible studies in Fairfax, VA.; PTA’s in Virginia and California.

She was very proud of her husband who served in World War II and achieved the rank of Captain, United States Navy. He was a gunnery officer during the war on an LST and after the war attended Law School at IU, Bloomington and became a Navy Lawyer (JAG CORPS). When he retired from the Navy in Virginia he had a private law practice until he became a Judge. He had a doctorate in Oil and Gas Law from Southern Methodist University. He was a Judge for the last 16 years of his life primarily serving in Manassas, Virginia.

Services are Tuesday, January 16^th, 2018. Viewing in the Parlor from 1:30 to 3:15 PM followed by the Memorial Service at 3:30 PM in the Chapel at North United Methodist Church, 3808 North Meridian Street, Indianapolis, IN 46208. Burial will be at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, we encourage donations to be given to North United Methodist Church.