Rose Marie Kelsey-Traylor

Rose Marie Kelsey-Traylor (Breen), 83, of Indianapolis, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, January 22, 2025. Rose Marie grew up and spent most of her life in Indianapolis and was “a lifer” in Indiana, as she also lived in Fort Wayne, Kokomo, and Rushville. She was a graduate of St. Joan of Arc Catholic School, St. Agnes Academy, and Marian College; she also received a master’s degree in library science from Ball State University. 

Rose Marie loved to spend time with her children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, extended family and friends. She never missed a family gathering, often hosting these events for a very large extended family. She cherished her “second Saturday” get-togethers with her school sisters, as well as her annual reunions with her 8th grade classmates. She was passionate about her work as a grant writer with the Indiana State Library and as an adjunct professor of library science at both Ball State University and Ivy Tech Community College. She worked closely at Ball State with her peer and dear friend the late Pat Bielke, who was fondly referred to as “Aunt Pat” by her children and extended family.

Rose Marie was married to William T. Kelsey of Indianapolis from 1965 to 1993, and they were blessed with three children: Tim (Jen), Beth, and Frank (Shannon) Kelsey. Rose Marie was subsequently married to the late Keith Traylor of Indianapolis, IN in 1997 until his death in November of 1998. Rose Marie was stepmother to Ken, Nancy (Parkhurst), and Carol Traylor. She was a devoted mother to all her children and cherished her relationship with each of them and their extended families. Rose Marie was grandmother to Morgan, Tommy, Angela, Rachel, Todd, and Nick. She was highly involved with her grandchildren and enjoyed taking them to many of their favorite places, including the Indianapolis Children’s Museum, the Indianapolis Zoo, the Eiteljorg Museum, and “to feed the fish” at Butler.

Rose Marie was the daughter of the late Joseph C. and Rose Marie Breen of Indianapolis, IN. She was the older sister to Sister Jane Ann Breen O.S.B., Mike Breen (Sally), Anne (Trudy) Breen-Iles, and Joe (Laurie) Breen. She was also niece, cousin, aunt, and great-aunt to dozens of extended family members that included the Breen’s, Dean’s, Iles, Dillon’s, Perry’s, Stryker’s, Daniels, and LaRue’s. Rose Marie welcomed the importance of being the family matriarch and used the knowledge she gained from her mother, Rose Marie Breen, and her aunts, Gertrude Hunt, Anna C. Dillon, and Maxine Dean, at family gatherings and in family interactions. She was always very welcoming to her family “in-laws”, developing and maintaining close relationships with the Marty’s, Smith’s and Bell’s.

Services are set for Monday, January 27th at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, 4217 Central Avenue, in Indianapolis. Visitation will take place from 9:00-10:45 AM and the funeral mass will follow at 11:00 AM.