Theresa Marie was born to Irish parents, James Bernard and Ellen Reardon Kelly, as the eldest child on September 30, 1892, in King City, Missouri. She had two sisters, Nora and Margaret, brothers Thomas, Patrick and Bernard. 

The family lived on a farm and attended the nearest Catholic Church in Stanberry, Missouri. Theresa went to a rural school for eight years, and to St. Joseph's Academy, Clyde, for high school. Graduating from here in 1911, she wished to join the Benedictine Sisters and become a religious, but her father asked her to wait for two years. So she obtained a Teacher's Certificate and taught two years in a rural school near her home. At the close of the second school year, she realized her hope when she entered the Clyde postulancy on May 13, 1913, with Sr. M. Thiadildis (Edith Marie) Kraus and Remberta Denzel as companions. Sister Veronica Neuthard was her Postulant Director. Eight months later, she was given the religious habit and became a Novice on January 24, 1914. Sisters M. Gertrude Mayer and Eustella Neuthard were her Novice Directors.

A new State regulation required that a number of teachers with certificates be on the staff of the Academy, so Mother M. John Schrader obtained the permission of Abbot Frowin Conrad for Novice Theresa to teach math and algebra classes during her novitiate year. It was a busy year, doing assigned Novitiate reading, preparing for classes, keeping up with a correspondence course in algebra, and all without neglecting her spiritual life.

With her companions Theresa made profession on January 30, 1915, and received the name Sister M. Patricia. As a young professed religious, Sister M. Patricia continued teaching, spending four years at Conception Junction, another four or five at Conception, and then back to the Academy, teaching algebra and acting as prefectress (1929-1930). When she made Perpetual Vows, on March 5, 1921, she was teaching at the Orphanage.

In May 1929, a new field opened for her when she and Sister M. Notburga Hermeler were asked to study nursing at St. Theresa's Hospital in Waukeegan, Illinois. After a three year course, she successfully completed the examinations, and received the R. N. license in 1932. However, when she returned to Clyde, she was assigned to help in the kitchen, only later going to the infirmary with Sr. M. Bonaventure Eikelmann in charge.

In November 1935, she was one of the group assigned to form the new community in Tucson, Arizona. She did not do nursing here, but was sent for her own health. Sister M. Clotilda Lesch was the Tucson infirmarian. The climate in Tucson proved not to be as beneficial as it was hoped, so Sister M. Patricia was sent to Mundelein, Illinois, on September 22, 1938, and remained there as infirmarian and seamstress until November 23, 1949. Her next transfer was to Kansas City. From 1951 - 1956, she was back at Clyde, and also after some years absence, from 1967-1970. When at Clyde, she received Consecration of Virgin on November 16, 1952, and celebrated her Golden Jubilee in 1965.

On May 4, 1958, from the convent at Kansas City, she was assigned to San Diego, but only for a few months as the climate forced her to return to Kansas City. She remained in Kansas City until she left for Clyde in 1967, returning in 1970. By March 14, 1981, when she left Kansas City for the St. Benedict Health Care Center in St. Louis, Missouri, she had lived thirty-two years in Kansas City. In 1975, she rejoiced in the celebration of her Diamond Jubilee, 60 years as a religious. In 1976, she underwent surgery for cancer, which later returned and metastasized. When death came on December 7, 1983, she had spent over ninety-one years in a life of zealous adoration, prayer and service.

Very efficient in sewing, besides her profession as a registered nurse, Sr. M. Patricia made many items for the vestry supplies and mended clothing. She made quilts, and even mattresses from foam rubber procured from a company. When in Clyde 1967-1970, she made 132 new mattress covers. Hobby work was always in her hands at odd moments and free time, as at recreation, when she would hemstitch purificators, corporals and finger towels. During August -September 1981, she made a beautiful Irish linen altar cloth for the St. Louis infirmary chapel. Always compassionate, her busy fingers were often occupied in later years making baby blankets and other items of clothing for the poor.

Not only do the Sisters gratefully recall Sr. M. Patricia's healing touch in ministering to them but also the stories she told of experiences in different convents, and her green thumb and the know-how to prepare healing teas and winges or other herbal medications she used in her nursing care.

Among the relatives of Sister M. Patricia were several in religious life: Sr. M. Joseph Reardon (1877-1919) of the Clyde Benedictines was her aunt on her mother's side. She had two priest-nephews: Father Patrick Tobin and Father Charles Tobin; and a niece, Sr. Anne Kelly, CSJ. Also Brother Mark of St. John's Abbey, Collegeville, Minnesota. Greatly loved by all her family, they often visited her.

Sister M. Patricia Kelly lived a full life, ever busy in many services, and devoted to the perpetual adoration, to prayer, seeking the Lord moment by moment, as the variety of her devotional collections, the printed and typed prayers of every kind left behind, gave evidence. Her smiling face and joyful happiness radiated out to all she had contact with, and left a lasting memory of her beautiful character.

The Community gathered on December 8 for a Vigil service) which Father Patrick, Father Charles, and Sr. Anne Kelly, with other relatives and friends attended. After the Eucharist celebrated on the 9th for her at St. Louis, the body was taken to Clyde. On December 10, the funeral Mass was celebrated there, and burial took place in Mt. Calvary Cemetery. Her priest-nephews conducted the services on both days. May her memory ever be held in benediction!