Faces of the West County: Jo Ellen Kelly

Doo-wop, flower arranging and UFOs

Jo Ellen Kelly (Photo by Steve Einstein)

The other morning I was walking up Bonnardel, the road going up to the tennis courts at Analy, when I heard someone crying. Sort of howling. Or was it laughing? I couldn’t tell. It came from the front of one of those old, storied homes on the street, and I soon saw from where. A woman was struggling with something, letting out howls of painful frustration or possibly laughter.

I had to ask.

Me: “Are you laughing or crying?’’

“A little of both, I suppose,” the woman, Jo Ellen Kelly, answered.

She had been trying to open her folding walker and was having a devil of a time of it.

Jo Ellen: “I’m trying to get this down the steps. A para-transit bus is going to be picking me up for a doctor’s appointment soon.”

Me: “Okay. Let me help you. Where did you get this nice walker from?”

Jo Ellen: “My church got it for me. I broke the last one.”

Me: “Well, how do you usually get the walker down these steps?”

Jo Ellen: “I usually just throw the thing.”

Me: “Well then, I see why you need a new one from time to time.”

Jo Ellen chuckled a bit over that.

Turns out she’s been living in that same house since her family moved there in 1959. Her name is Jo Ellen Kelly, and she immediately agreed to let me return the next day to chat about her long life, 65 years of which were spent there on Bonnardel.

We met back on her porch the next afternoon as storm clouds were rolling in and the warmish day was turning cold. I don’t think Jo Ellen wanted me to see the massive collection of stuff in her home, so we sat on her porch. I’m no stranger to clutter - I’ve got a pretty good collection myself, but Jo Ellen probably has me beat.

Where and when were you born?

San Francisco, October 31st, 1945. I’m 79!

A Halloween baby?!?

Yes. I’m told that as I was trying to come out, my father dropped to his knees and began waving some milk chocolate to try to entice me out.

Who else was in your family?

My dad was from Butte, Montana, and my mom from Spokane. I had one brother, Joey. He died from Crohn’s Disease back in ’79. That’s all there was. I spent most of my life caring for other people.

When did you guys come up this way?

When I was six, we moved to Guerneville. My parents became the managers of the Northwood Lodge and Golf Course in 1952. We lived in a house right across the street from the Bohemian Grove.

Did you see any famous celebs?

Oh yeah. The one I remember best was Lowell Thomas, the CBS radio newsman. He was the big newscaster before Cronkite. Once, Shirley Temple Black stayed at our lodge, while her husband was with all the other men at the Grove. And President Eisenhower came and played a round of golf. My brother and I were playing near where the Secret Service had parked one of his cars. They asked if we wanted to see inside the car, and of course, we went right over. He had two telephones inside! One in each door. That was the most amazing thing. I’ll never forget that. Eisenhower loved to golf.

Where did you go to school?

We went to the Guerneville School, and then in ’59 when we moved to Sebastopol, I started as a freshman at Analy. I graduated in ’63. My parents bought this house on Bonnardel across from the high school in ’59. It’s the original Bonnardel family home, built in 1910. I’ve been here ever since. 65 years! Dad died in ’79, just six months before Joey died. My mom died in ’87. So I’ve been here more than 36 years on my own.

1963? The year Kennedy was shot.

Oh, I remember that well. I was at home, and my friend Nancy who was still a senior, came over. I had graduated in the spring, and he was shot in November. They dismissed school early, and she came right over to tell me what had happened. We were both in shock and total disbelief. It was a cold and overcast day. We were so upset. When Martin Luther King was shot, that was a big blow too. He was really trying to bridge the white and black communities.

Was there any other President you really liked?

Jimmy Carter. He was a true humanitarian. I’m not into politics, but he was a trustworthy man.

Any favorite teachers at Analy?

Sure. Mr. Hogenmiller, the science teacher, and Gerald Hohl, the art teacher.

I still have friends from high school. One lives at Apple Valley on the south side of town. I visit her all the time, and we talk on the phone a few times a week. We had a reunion of the classes of ’62, ’63 and ’64 at the Flamingo a little while ago. It was great, and the food was fantastic, but there aren’t many of us left.

I went on to Santa Rosa Jr. College and studied floristry in the Horticulture Department. I got work in a few florist shops, and then did some flower arranging here at the house.

Eventually, I worked at the County Fair. I did that for 20 years. The Kunde family became good friends, and they let me design the flower show for the Harvest Fair.

Wow!

I still work at the fair. I sit by the elevator at the racetrack scanning tickets for people going into the grandstand.

I was an extra at the fairgrounds when they were filming Little Miss Marker with Tony Curtis, Bob Newhart, and Julie Andrews. Tony and Bob used to hang out with us extras. Julie didn’t. Walter Matthau was also there.

My brother was an extra too, but he died soon after, and I was too sad to ever watch the film. I got the DVD a few years ago, and I might watch it this winter. But I haven’t seen it yet.

Where else did you work?

After the fairgrounds, I was the night manager for 10 years at the Sebastopol Veterans Memorial Building. I love what they’ve done to that building since it became the Arts Center. Then I worked for 10 years for the Marriott Corporation at their Brighton Gardens Senior Living facility. I started in the kitchen, but became the activity director for a bunch of old people. Now I’m one of them! (Jo Ellen got a good laugh out of that one.)

Do you ever go to our Senior Center here in town?

Sometimes. Not much. I don’t have a computer, but I’ve got a government-issued tablet, and I learned how to use it there at the Senior Center.

Do you attend church?

Ever since the ’60s I’ve belonged to the Redwood Christian Fellowship on Healdsburg Avenue. The minister there—Rev. Sivillo and his wife—pick me up every Sunday and take me to church and other social functions. They’re very nice people. Our church is small, but loving.

Do you have any favorite restaurants here in town?

Well, I used to love Burger King, but they folded up and left. And the pizza at Round Table is the best.

How about The Pine Cone? You must have gone there.

Oh yes! I used to love their rootbeer floats.

Do you get Meals on Wheels now?

I’m eligible, but I’m a really good cook and prefer to cook for myself.

Any big interests or hobbies?

Well, I’m into music: Doo-wop, rock and roll, soul music…and UFOs. The real ones, not the Sci-Fi ones.

Alright. Wait a minute. Let’s start with your favorite musicians.

The Venturers. That was true rock and roll in the ’60s. I was into Elvis, until he went dark and turned to drugs. Then there was the Safaris, and Sandy Nelson the drummer.

Okay. So what’s with the UFOs?!?

I’ve seen them. I actually had contact with them. I have pictures to prove it.

When was the actual contact?

Well, I only discovered it with the help of hypnosis. It happened when I was around seven years old. I’ve spoken about it at the International UFO Congress in Laughlin, Nevada, back in ’97. I’ve attended many congresses over the years.

Jo Ellen, I’ll be honest with you. Though I don’t believe in UFOs, it’s hard to believe that we are the only life forms in the universe or even our solar system. A few years ago, I saw three lights hovering above the old Ford dealership. They hovered in the sky for about a minute, and then came towards me, just holding there maybe 100 feet in the air. I was fumbling with my phone because I really wanted to record this thing. Maybe 30 seconds later, they turned south and in formation, quietly headed towards Petaluma. Skeptical as I am, I was sure it was contact with something from outside our realm.

I’m sure these beings from this other realm, as you say, mean no harm. They come in peace. It’s us humans who aren’t so peaceful. I’ve never met anyone among all us contactees—those of us who have had direct contact—at any of the many congresses I’ve attended who have ever been harmed.

There will be another Bay Area gathering in March. I look forward to going. I’m part of the local MUFON. Mutual UFO Network. It’s a big international organization.

Let me ask you something else. I think COVID and the need for restricting contact with each other that it brought, changed much in our lives. How did it affect your life?

I could only communicate with people by phone. Living alone, that was hard. You know, I got it three times! The first time was the worst, but get this, I picked it up at my primary care physician’s office. It hit me fast, and I just rode it out at home. Fortunately, I had gotten the first shot, so it probably wasn’t as bad as it could have been.

Jo Ellen, it’s been wonderful visiting with you. Thank you for being so willing to sit and speak with me.

Oh, I’ve enjoyed the visit.

Well, you’re a kick in the pants, Jo Ellen Kelly. Thanks again for letting us get to know you. One more question. What will you do for Christmas this year?

For 30 years I used to spend Christmas with the Kunde family. They were my best friends, but now they’ve either died or moved away. So now I just watch the celebrations on TV and hold good memories in my heart. I’ll make a nice meal. I’ll have a fillet of salmon this year. Maybe some turkey too! I’m a very independent woman. That’s been my life.