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| Mama Kelly was born in Fitchburg, USA, June 2. 1946. Her father Victor came from Tyrol and her mother Barbara Ann came from Finland. Barbara met Daniel Jerome Kelly in the States and she went with him and his wife Joanne to Spain to work in his antique shop and help with the kids. Soon they fell in love and November 6th 1970, they married in New York. Joanne went back to America. Barbara became a mother to Dan's four children who he had gotten with Joanne. And soon the fruit of Barbara and Dan's love came to world with their first-born John Michael (Juan Miguel). They travelled through Europe in their big Double-Decker buss as a happy family. In 1981 they found out that Barbara had cancer. It was a tragedy for the whole family. They went back to Spain and in December 1981, Barbara and Dan's last child came to the world, a boy who looked like an Angel and therefore was given the name Angelo Gabriele. She was a warm and loving mother, and her family meant everything to her. The whole family sat by her side as she took her final breath the 10th of November 1982. Her last words were "Keep On Singing". A Spanish woman who attended at the funeral has said, "As the coffin was lowered into the ground, the children screamed and cried hysterically, it was horrible, it was the worst experience in my life!!!!" Mama Kelly was buried on a hill by the church. On her gravestone you can read: Barbara Ann Kelly 10 november 1982 Mother of fourteen All with her mother All the children of the world There are 14 hand painted hearts on the grave and then follows a messages from Dan "All my sufferings of my whole body to her sacrifice " All the children have written their names on the grave with their naked fingers. And there is a ballerina sculpture made by one of the children. The Kellys have written many songs to their beloved mother. In the song "Madre Tan Hermosa" from the CD "Keep On Singing" (1988), Dan tells from the day he had to bury his dear wife: "As we carried her up the hills to the place where she'd laid We remembered she told us to keep on singing no matter what. And through bitter tears, we sang this her favourite song. And we kept on singing through it all!" "Madre Tan Hermosa" (Beautiful Mother) was Barbara's favourite song, which they sang in her funeral. (Written by me) |