Mary Helen Keller Ollis

Mary Helen Keller Ollis, 67, of the Chesterfield Community died Tuesday, January 4, 2011 at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, NC. She was the daughter of Elizabeth Osborne Keller and the late George Washington Keller. Mary was an active and lifelong member of Bethel Baptist Church. She was a loving mother, grandmother, and friend to everyone she met. Mary retired from Burke County Public Schools.

Mary is survived by her son, Jimmy Ollis and wife, Michelle, of Morganton; daughters, Joyce Giles and husband, John Keith, of Denver, NC and Janet Howard and husband, Art, of Lowesville, NC; brothers, LaVern Keller and wife, Gloria, and Bill Keller, both of Morganton; sisters, Wanda Setzer of Morganton, Marie Woods and husband, Donald, of Morganton, Betty Hart of Morganton, and Vera Lail of Conover, NC; grandchildren, Jamie Ollis, Quinton Ollis, Ashley Giles, Brannon Giles, and Trevor Giles, and Alix Howard; brothers-in-law, Doug Ollis and wife, Daisy, of Morganton and John Ollis and wife, Brenda, of Brevard, NC; and sisters-in-law, Jean Chapman and husband, Herman, of Baton, NC, Louise Curtis and husband, Ralph, of Morganton, NC, and Doris Ollis of Morganton.

In addition to her father, Mary was preceded in death by her husband, James Bernard Ollis.

The funeral will be held at 3:00 p.m., Friday, January 7, 2011 at Bethel Baptist Church with Rev. Gary Cline officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends Thursday evening from 5:30 until 7:30 p.m. at Sossoman Funeral Home where the body will remain until placed in the church thirty minutes prior to the funeral hour.

Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center is assisting the family with the arrangements.