In Memoriam: Ellie Harvey Kelly

St. Georges Garden Club

December 04, 2023

Ellie Harvey Kelly, a member of St. George’s Garden Club since 1960, died on November 16, 2023. For her entire life, Ellie was a trail blazer with a relentless passion for family, community, and civic works.

Chair of National Affairs & Legislation Committee from 1977-1981, Ellie was also a Zone VI director from 1982-84 and became a Board of Associates member in 1981. She served as president of SGGC from 1983-85. Ellie received many awards for her service including the Zone Conservation Award (1971), the Medal of Merit (1977), the Margaret Douglas Medal (1982), and recently the Club Appreciation Award in May 2023.

As a legendary conservation advocate and founder of the National Affairs and Legislation Conference, Ellie was an icon in The Garden Club of America. She also served as the Legislative Chairperson of the Federated Garden Clubs of Maryland (FGCMD) from 1998-2007. She took Annapolis and Washington, D.C. by storm and lobbied, in the legislative halls, while getting the state and federal legislators to know her well and successfully advocated for the objectives of the GCA & FGCMD.

Ellie has also been recognized nationally, most notably by President Carter in 1980 for her efforts to help pass the Alaska Lands Conservation Bill. She served on the Rachel Carson Council, National Parks & Conservation Association, Irvine Nature Center, The Nature Conservancy/Maryland Chapter. She was a founding board member of Scenic America and Scenic Maryland and was involved for decades with the Maryland Environmental Trust (MET) and has chaired their “Keep America Beautiful” committee.

For over 40 years, she worked to protect Maryland’s Program Open Space (POS). Maryland is now a leader among many states in land preservation, in large part due to Ellie’s vision, determination and commitment.

Ellie was a champion of everyone, but especially the underdog. She always put family first and reveled in the sense of community and her appreciation for everything around her.