Nerissa June (Lehmer) Kelso

Nerissa June (Lehmer) Kelso, passed away peacefully at home in southern York County, surrounded by loving family, on November 13, 2023, at the age of 94. She was born in Harrisburg, PA in 1929 to Earl L. Lehmer and Beatrice I. Reeser, and she grew up in Lemoyne, on the opposite side of the Susquehanna River. Both sides of her family had deep roots in York County, so when she moved into a York County farmhouse with her son and daughter-in-law earlier in 2023, she was “back home”. She was the widow of Raymond “Ray” Kelso.

As a teenager, “Dolly,” as she was known to friends and family, was a frequent attendee (with her sister Portia) of Camp Penn at Old Forge, part of the Evangelical United Brethren Church. She once appeared in a cute cartoon in The Anvil, the camp newsletter, and was noted as a wonderful singer. She also loved to play the piano and her electric organ.

Upon graduation from Lemoyne High School in 1947, Nerissa entered the nursing class at the Polyclinic Hospital in Harrisburg. With her classmates, she traveled to Coatesville in 1949 to study psychiatric nursing at the Veterans Administration hospital. One of her classmates was a girl named Betty, who was dating Ray’s friend Harold Barnes. The couple set Ray and Nerissa up on a blind date, they soon fell in love, and were quickly engaged so that they could marry before Ray shipped off to Korea for a second volunteer Army tour of duty in 1950. They married at the Episcopal Church of the Trinity in Coatesville, and celebrated a wonderful 70-Year Anniversary in August of 2020.

With her RN degree in hand, newlywed Nerissa began a rewarding career as a private duty nurse in the Philadelphia area, where Ray worked at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.

In 1963 Ray and Nerissa built their home in Martin's Corner, West Caln Township, raised their family, and enjoyed wonderful neighbors. They had many gardens, including a food garden with peanuts and popcorn, and flower gardens with marigolds, columbine, and tulips. Nerissa performed in many PTA plays at King’s Highway Elementary School in the early 1970s which were written and directed by beloved First Grade teacher John Taylor. She was employed by the Hibernia United Methodist Church in the nursery school program for more than 10 years in the 1970s and ‘80s, and absolutely loved every minute of it.

She looked forward to annual Reeser and Lehmer family reunions in Lemoyne with parents, sister, grandchildren, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins, and eventually embarked on her own extensive family history project, which included many interviews with family members and culminated in her writing and publishing a hardcover book about her mother’s side of the family, entitled Myers-Reeser: A Story of Two Families, in 1998 – this is a cherished gift that she gave to ours and many future generations.

Ray and Nerissa shared a love of nature, animals, and local history, and both were involved with the Friends of Hibernia and with the organization of the West Caln Historical Society, assisting with the creation of the book History of West Caln Township: 1744 – 1994. They also enjoyed many long RV trips around the country with their dog Heidi, as well as several European vacations. They especially loved babysitting for their grandchildren, Neal and Sarah Kelso, taking them to many parks, museums and zoos, and passing on to them their love of learning.

In recent years, Nerissa lived with her son Fred and daughter-in-law Becky (Neal) Kelso, and enjoyed spending time with Neal and Sarah.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, November 20, 2023 at 11:00 AM at the Wilde Funeral Home, 434 Main St. Parkesburg, PA with visitation from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Interment will follow at the Fairview Cemetery in Coatesville, PA. 

Online condolences can be posted at www.wildefuneralhome.com