HANOVER, NH — Priscilla Merrill Kelley Wylie, formerly of Port Hueneme, California, passed on August 26, 2019 at Wheelock Terrace.
Priscilla was born March 6, 1925 in Brockton, Massachusetts, to parents Melvin Joseph Kelley and Glendora (Merrill) Kelley. Her family moved to a little house in North Quincy a few years later. She had many fond memories of living with her parents and two sisters in their home on Holbrook Road.
After graduating from North Quincy High School in 1942, she attended Bridgewater State College for two years and transferred to Boston University where she received a B.A. and teaching certification in 1946. She then taught in Weston for a few years before marrying William E. Wylie, Jr. They had two children and settled in Rockland, Mass. They were later divorced in 1963.
In 1959 Priscilla had returned to teaching, working at the Red Feather School. The following year her good friend Barbara Walsh hired her as lead teacher for Cinderella Kindergarten in Hanover, Mass. Following the divorce, with support and encouragement from both her family and Barbara, Priscilla enrolled in graduate classes at Bridgewater State College where she earned an M.ED in 1967.
In 1968 she was offered and accepted a teaching position in Oxnard, California. After packing up their home, she drove cross-country with her children and their cat to start a new adventure on the west coast. She purchased a home in Port Hueneme where she lived happily for the next 38 years.
Her teaching career in California started in first grade. After the I.D.E.A. was implemented, she became part of the first wave of teachers to enroll in classes and become Special Education teachers. She continued in Special Education until her retirement in 1987.
In 2005, Priscilla moved to Vermont to live with her daughter and family. In 2009, when she needed more care than her family could provide, she moved to Wheelock Terrace. She made many friends among the other residents and staff. She especially enjoyed the visiting llamas, miniature horses, and the dogs. How she loved the dogs! Her family is so grateful for the loving care Priscilla received over the past ten years from the staff at Wheelock Terrace, and also during the last months from the staff from Bayada. They all went above and beyond in taking care of all her needs.
Priscilla was predeceased by her parents and her sisters, Laura May Kelley Bailey and Barbara Kelley Bateson. She is survived by her son, William E. Wylie, 3rd (Jieng) of Benson, Arizona; daughter Nancy Evelyn Wylie Hall (Jack) of Hartland, Vermont; granddaughter Laura Lee Hall-Seelig (Benjamin) of North Andover, Mass.; grandson Jason Merrill Hall (Jennifer) of Nashua, New Hampshire; and her great-grandchildren.
As per Priscilla’s request, there will be no services.