Kelly Marie (Wambeke) Boelen

The world lost an angel and heaven gained one on October 19, 2020, when Kelly Marie Boelen of Billings passed away unexpectedly at Billings Clinic Hospital due to complications of COVID. She leaves behind her loving husband, Darren and two beautiful children, Daniel and Alyssa.  

Kelly was born April 24, 1969 in Lovell, Wyoming to Harry H. Wambeke and Deborah Ann (Willis) Wambeke. She was proud to be the big sister of Patrick and Christopher, always telling people that Patrick was older because of her petite size and his gray hair.

Kelly grew up in Cowley, Wyoming and graduated from Rocky Mountain High School in 1988. She was a friend to everyone and involved in everything from cheer to sports and music—and her boisterous laugh would ring down the hallways. After graduation, Kelly moved to Billings to live with her Grandma Lou and worked at Gibsons Discount Center.  When she decided to apply for a job at WalMart, she could not have known that she’d meet the love of her life, Darren, there.  

After enjoying time as a stay-at-home mom when her children were young, Kelly went to work for Stewart Title. At the time of her passing, she was an Accounting Associate at Avitus Group. She enjoyed and cared for the wonderful colleagues she met along the way, treating them more like family than of friends. She planned parties, made treats, and had an innate ability to make any event special. Over the last months, she sewed countless masks for everyone she knew.

Kelly’s absence is felt deeply, and it will continue to leave a hole in the lives of those who love her. We will miss her willingness to help anyone in need, her kindness, her spunk, her laughter, her love of life and her thoughtful gestures.  If Kelly considered you her friend, you were never alone.  

Kelly had a large family and leaves behind aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and countless cousins. In addition to her husband and children, she is survived by her mother, Deborah Wambeke of Cowley; brother Patrick and his wife, Sonya and their four children Ty, Cole, Jess and Shelby of Cowley; and brother Christopher and his wife, Molly and their five children Eva, Lincoln, Quinn, Paige and Madse of West Jordan, Utah; Her Aunt Wendy Gaetz, Uncle Alan and their children, Rachel, Adam and Eli. She also always had a very close relationship with her maternal aunts and uncles; Todd Willis, Terry Willis, Evie Welling and Ed Willis and their families.  She was preceded in death by her “Papa”, Harry H. Wambeke, and her paternal and maternal grandparents.

Kelly was a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There will be a small family service on Thursday, October 29 in Cowley, and a memorial planned in the spring.  

Haskell Funeral Home of Lovell, WY is in charge of the arrangements.  Remembrances, flowers and cards can be sent there.  https://www.haskellfuneralhome.com/

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