Hilda Kelly

Hildegard (Hilda) Kincaide Kelly died peacefully in her sleep October 7, 2025 at the age of 101 . She was born May 23, 1924 in Coody’s Bluff, Oklahoma to Sarah Rienhardt Kincaide and Frank Kincaide. she was the youngest of five children. While growing up her family farmed two Cherokee allotments in Nowata County, Oklahoma On the Verdigris River. She was a member of the Cherokee tribe and very proud of her Native American heritage . Hilda graduated from Nowata High School Where she was active in choral groups and glee club. She had a beautiful voice and one many choral competitions.

Each summer, she and her Sister Kinny would travel to New Mexico to visit their grandfather and their older sister Elaine on the Lazy SO ranch near Magdalena. She often traveled to New Mexico in the back of a grain truck loaded with Oklahoma wheat. She had great memories of her days on theSO. Many years later, the Kelly’s ran cattle on the SO and continue to own a portion of the original ranch.

After graduating from high school, she moved to New Mexico and attended beauty school in Albuquerque. She often attended dances in the Magdalena area. She met Tom Kelly at one of these events. Tom and Hilda married August 7, 1949 and they were married nearly 70 years.. Hilda had a daughter, Sue.Eidson Kelly, from a previous marriage and Tom and Hilda had two children Kimberly Ann and Michael F. Kelly.

Tom and Hilda ranched in the Magdalena and Datil area on the Lazy SO, Chriswell, and Water Canyon ranches their entire career. The Water Canyon Ranch near Magdalena was always their home base . Water Canyon has been in the Kelly family since 1882, and the Lazy SO was in Hilda’s family since the early 1900’s. She had a rich history in New Mexico ranching.

Hilda embraced ranch life, helping on the ranch doing everything from riding horses, to working cattle and feeding family and other ranch hands. She would load the pick up with Dutch Ovens and food, drive out on the ranch, chop wood to build a fire and cook a delicious meal of steak, potatoes, vegetable, salad, dessert. She fed everyone on tin plates with real silverware . She then loaded it all up, went home, washed dishes, and cooked supper for the crew. Tom taught Hilda to cook in the Dutch Ovens and she mastered the art.

Hilda shared many stories about her life as a ranch hand. She was often overheard using colorful language on uncooperative horses, and cattle. Tom named a particularly steep and rough trail. “Damnation Hill” because of her colorful language while working livestock on that trail. Hilda and Tom would ride in Water Canyon in the spring to find calves missed when gathering . Tom roped a calf, Hilda flanked it and held it down so he could tie its feet and brand it.

After a long day working alongside her family on the ranch, she would come home and cook a great meal. She was a very good homestyle, cook specializing in amazing fruit pies, and chiffon cake. Her family recalls that she always provided three home-cooked meals each day.

Hilda was a skilled seamstress. She made school clothes, western shirts and women’s suits not to mention mending lots of ripped jeans. As she works on the Water Canyon Ranch, Kim wears. a western shirt made for Tom many years ago.

Not many ranch hands crawl into bed with iron sheets. Hilda ironed all the family clothes, including sheets. Family members fondly remember her standing for hours ironing while they relaxed watching TV.

The school bus didn’t come to the Lazy SO or to Water Canyon, so Hilda drove the children to and from school every day. She was able to complete this chore while keeping up with other ranch and household responsibilities.

Hilda was well known in the community. She wore beautiful, large turquoise jewelry with many pieces made on the Alamo Reservation . During the Old Times Parade, she proudly drove her pink 1947 Chevy pickup wearing a cowgirl hat decorated with fake flowers. One year she was crowned the Old Timers Queen. She was a member of the Cowbells and was honored as a Woman of the West. Hilda’s unique brand of humor will be remembered and missed by many.

Predeceased by her parents and her sisters and brothers and husband, Tom Kelly.

Living Relatives: Sue Williams ( husband Joe, Anna and Jim Langley, Heather and Mark Van Hooser), Kimberly Gard (son Kelly and Niece, Sarah Gard and Jacob Osborn), Mike F. Kelly (wife Delrae, Bradley, Wesley and Caitlyn Kelly and Numerous great grandchildren and one great, great grandchild.