Kellee Dawn Edwards Whitlock

Kellee Dawn Edwards Whitlock, 45, the wife of John Whitlock, passed away Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017, in Lexington, surrounded by family and friends.

Kellee was born in Louisville and grew up in Corbin. She graduated with a B.A. in French from Stetson University in DeLand, Fla. She studied in France for a year during college.

After graduation, Kellee lived and worked in DeLand for a year before moving back to Corbin. Kellee worked at the Times-Tribune in Corbin, and later at The Harlan Daily Enterprise and the Georgetown News-Graphic. During her career, she won more than 25 Kentucky Press Association Awards.

In 2015, Kellee and John moved to Lexington, where Kellee worked as a freelance graphic artist, writer and photographer for several local publications and businesses, including the J. Peterman Company.

Kellee was an incredibly hard worker who could meet a creative deadline like a pro, but who also knew how to appreciate life’s simpler pleasures, like helping her daughter build sandcastles on the beach and eating a good spicy meal with friends.

She was deeply devoted to her family, generous with her time and resources, passionate about social justice, wise beyond her years, and a practitioner of random acts of kindness.

Her intelligence, sense of humor, creativity, eye for design, naturally positive outlook and compassion for people from all walks of life made her the kind of person that attracted many friends and inspired others by her example.

Those who had the privilege to know and love Kellee feel incredibly lucky to have had her in their lives, and while she is irreplaceable and will be missed deeply, we are so grateful for her time with us.

From the time of Kellee’s cancer diagnosis in January 2016 until her death, she was determined to savor every second with her family.

She was preceded in death by her sister Krista M. Pate.

Kellee is survived by her husband John Whitlock and their 7-year-old daughter Katherine “Kate” Jo Hannah Whitlock; stepdaughter Elizabeth Whitlock; nephews Dylan Edwards and Ethan Pate, all of Lexington; mother, Sondra Taylor Jones of Corbin; spirit mother, Jan Bolding; father Newman Gordon Edwards of Corbin, sisters Lori Eidson of Richmond and Marianne Campbell of Barbourville; sister-in-law Barbara Whitlock Pann of Monroe, N.C.; grandmother, June Taylor of Corbin; many other members of her extended family, and countless devoted friends.

The memorial service was held Monday, November 13 at First Baptist Church of Corbin with Rev. Austin Carty officiating

Memorial donations may be made to the GoFundMe site established to help Kellee’s family with memorial and other expenses: www.gofundme.com/kelleeedwards.

Condolences may be made to the family at www.croleyfuneralhome.com

Croley Funeral Home of Williamsburg was in charge of the arrangements.