- Date Of Birth: March 20, 1916
- Date Of Death: November 26, 2011
- State: California
Artist, poet, pilot and wonderful cook, Marjorie Helen Kelly of Santa Paula died peacefully at home on Saturday, November 26, 2011 following a long life and a short illness. Marjorie was born March 20, 1916 – or earlier! – in New York City to Austin H. Montgomery (nee Montegriffo) of New York and Augusta Victoria (Schwartz) Montgomery, a native of Austria. Marjorie and her two older brothers experienced an unusual and colorful childhood that included extensive world travel with prolonged stays in several foreign countries. Marjorie’s education included a stint at a private boarding school in Quebec and studies at Barnard College, New York. The Montgomery family moved to Los Angeles in the 1930s. By that time Marjorie had already obtained her pilot’s license; she flew a Jenny biplane for several years until, for an unknown reason, she hung up her goggles. Marjorie studied with sculptor Romano Romanelli and at the Phoenix Art Institute. As a ceramic artist with a studio in Hollywood, she was also a sought-after designer for major clients including several film studios. Although she first met Vincent A. Kelly as a teenager in New York, it wasn’t until after World War II that they reconnected. Following their marriage they moved to the San Fernando Valley, finally settling in Encino where they raised four children. Marjorie loved to entertain, and her surroundings reflected her artistic talents and appreciation of elegance.
