Barbera Ann was born 2nd June 1946 in Fitchburg, United States. Her parents were Barbera Ann from Finland and Viktor Suokko from Austria.
Barbera was ballet dancer, and passed her dancing talents onto her children, especially Barby, 6th child of the family, named after mama kelly.
Barbera and Dan met when Dan was still married to Jenny and she was working for Dan, though they soon fell in love.
Barbera had always wanted many children. Her first two, Johnny and Patricia, first had the name Soukko as their parents were not yet married, though after the marriage their names became Kelly.
As the 'Street Life' times began, the family began to sing in streets and during their performances Barbara would dance. She also danced during the 'Kelly Kids' first concerts.
Barbera Ann was a big ballet idol for Barby.
In 1981 Barbera found out she had breast cancer. The Family went back to Spain and cancelled all of their upcoming concerts to be with her in her last months.
Her last TV appearance was on the video 'Christmas all year'. She died two weeks before the video's publication. In her last days the Kelly children were around her bed every night. Barbara Ann told them that death is a part of life.
On 10th November she left for a better world. Her last words were "Keep On Singing," words that her children have kept alive till this day.
A Spanish woman that attended her funeral said "As the casket was lowered into the ground the children screamed and cried hysterically, it was horrible, it was the worst experience in my life!!!"
They buried her up on a hill near the church.
On the grave stone reads:
Her death left a huge hole in the Kelly's lives. They are still not over the loss. Even now many of thier songs are dedicated to their mother such as 'Mama' or 'Calling Heaven' by Paddy. But her last words "Keep on singing" are legendary and the reason why the Kellys actually kept on singing.
Their next CD was called 'Keep on singing' in honour of her last words, and in the song 'tan hermosas Madre "(beautiful mother) Dan tells of terrible day when he had to bury his wife. "We are reminded that she asked us to hold together and continue to sing, regardless of what should be. And, with bitter tears, we sang this song, her favourite song. And we all thought, and sang."
Madre than hermosas was Barbera favourite song which they sang at her funeral.
Barbera was ballet dancer, and passed her dancing talents onto her children, especially Barby, 6th child of the family, named after mama kelly.
Barbera and Dan met when Dan was still married to Jenny and she was working for Dan, though they soon fell in love.
Barbera had always wanted many children. Her first two, Johnny and Patricia, first had the name Soukko as their parents were not yet married, though after the marriage their names became Kelly.
As the 'Street Life' times began, the family began to sing in streets and during their performances Barbara would dance. She also danced during the 'Kelly Kids' first concerts.
Barbera Ann was a big ballet idol for Barby.
In 1981 Barbera found out she had breast cancer. The Family went back to Spain and cancelled all of their upcoming concerts to be with her in her last months.
Her last TV appearance was on the video 'Christmas all year'. She died two weeks before the video's publication. In her last days the Kelly children were around her bed every night. Barbara Ann told them that death is a part of life.
On 10th November she left for a better world. Her last words were "Keep On Singing," words that her children have kept alive till this day.
A Spanish woman that attended her funeral said "As the casket was lowered into the ground the children screamed and cried hysterically, it was horrible, it was the worst experience in my life!!!"
They buried her up on a hill near the church.
On the grave stone reads:
Barbara Ann Kelly
10. November 1982 November 1982
On the grave stone, there are 14 hearts, one for each of her children and two of friends, and a last greeting from her beloved husband Dan:
"All my sufferings of my whole body to her sacrifice."
All the children have their own names written with their fingers in the fresh concrete. At the end of the gravestone is a sculpture of a ballerina.
Her death left a huge hole in the Kelly's lives. They are still not over the loss. Even now many of thier songs are dedicated to their mother such as 'Mama' or 'Calling Heaven' by Paddy. But her last words "Keep on singing" are legendary and the reason why the Kellys actually kept on singing.
Their next CD was called 'Keep on singing' in honour of her last words, and in the song 'tan hermosas Madre "(beautiful mother) Dan tells of terrible day when he had to bury his wife. "We are reminded that she asked us to hold together and continue to sing, regardless of what should be. And, with bitter tears, we sang this song, her favourite song. And we all thought, and sang."
Madre than hermosas was Barbera favourite song which they sang at her funeral.
