Kelly Ann deSouza

Kelly Ann deSouza, 62, a resident of Bloomington for 30+ years and a lifelong community volunteer, passed away on April 1, 2024. Born in Suffern, NY, she later attended schools in Maryland, Long Island and Upstate and Western NY as her father relocated for work. She graduated from Perry (NY) Central High School in 1979. These frequent re-locations in her formative years allowed Kelly’s outgoing personality to flourish -- she made friends easily wherever she went. After graduating from Olean (NY) Business Institute, she began her professional career in Rochester, NY, at a medical supply firm, and became active in volunteer work at her local Roman Catholic parish, where she met her husband Romualdo deSouza. The couple married April 28, 1990, and, after a brief stay in E. Lansing, Michigan, they settled in Bloomington, Indiana. Kelly initially worked as a computer consultant for medical software in several local companies and was a Mary Kay consultant. On April 1, 1999, they were blessed with the arrival of their daughter Zarya and Kelly transitioned to a stay-at-home mom and full-time volunteer, two roles she cherished. She loved being a mom! She loved to volunteer taking to heart the saying by Lily Tomlin “I always wondered why somebody doesn’t do something about that. Then I realized I was somebody.” Kelly was passionately active in her Catholic faith from a young age. Following her arrival in Bloomington she was a parishioner at St. Paul Catholic Center though she was also involved at St Charles’ Borromeo Church and its rosary group. In 2007 Kelly was recognized by the Archdiocese of Indianapolis for her work coordinating the Bloomington tri-parish community’s participation in the Walk for Life for several years and fundraising for a Crisis Pregnancy Center ministry. Her favorite saint was St. Therese of Lisieux. Kelly took to heart St. Therese’s admonition “Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love.” It was a grace that during a sabbatical year spent in Normandy, France, she lived only about 20km from Lisieux and St. Therese’s Basilica there. Kelly’s volunteer commitments included time as a youth leader for many years both in the Boys and Girls Club Auxiliary, and as a Girl Scout leader of Troop 60979 for 13 years. She also volunteered at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School as a lunchroom monitor for the younger children and a teacher’s aide in both the science and second grade classrooms. Through the years she and her camera were a fixture at many track meets and cross country races and her photographs and video of these events were much appreciated by the runners and their parents. At the other end of the age spectrum, Kelly volunteered with the elderly, establishing a Catholic prayer group (“Beads with Mary”) at Evergreen Village assisted living facility, and serving as a Eucharistic minister to the homebound. She became extremely close with several of the residents. Kelly enjoyed travelling extensively both across the U.S. and abroad and made many friends wherever she went. The highlight of her travels was a trip to Tasmania where she got to see wallabies, koala, and the famed Tasmanian devil. She is preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Gloria Brennan as well as her sister-in-law Roxana Genis whom she loved very much. She is survived by her husband of 34 years, Romualdo, daughter Zarya deSouza of Colorado, sisters Laura (Bill) Pentland of Connecticut and Janel (Craig) Tillmann of Maryland and a brother Patrick (Diane) Brennan of Pennsylvania, sister in-laws Nandita (Stephen) Nelson of the UK, Shana (David) Druffner of Tennessee, and brother-in-law Vincent Genis of Indiana. She is also survived by several nephews: Sean Genis, Jonathan Brennan, Josh and Nate Tillmann; and nieces: Bridget Covucci, Sarah and Emily Pentland, Ava Tillmann, Stephanie Jones, Camilla Nelson Fletcher, Sophie, Katrina, Claire and Natalie Druffner, and their spouses, as well as several great nephews and great nieces. Each of them was precious to her. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Paul Catholic Center, 1413 E. 17th St., Bloomington, Indiana on Saturday, April 13, 2024 at 10 am. Special prayers will precede the Mass starting at 9:30am. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Hannah House (hannahcenter.org) or St. Charles School (school.stcharlesbloomington.org). Online condolences, photos and memories may be shared with family and friends at www.allencares.com.

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Kelly Ann deSouza

August 20, 1961 - April 1, 2024