Anaconda shooting victim remembered for her kindness to customers, animals

Editor's note: The Montana Standard and Helena Independent Record have attempted to reach family and friends of the other three victims. Staff Writer Duncan Adams can be reached at Duncan.Adams@MTStandard.com or 540-521-6499.

Whether caring for patients as a nurse, catering to customers as a bartender, or helping to return a wayward dog to its owner, Nancy Lauretta Kelley was known for her selfless contributions to the Anaconda community.

On Aug. 1, the 64-year-old Kelley was one of the four killed in a mass shooting at the Owl Bar in Anaconda. She began bartending there about six months ago after retiring, according to friends.

“She was a nurse for around 30 years,” Kristian Kelley, Nancy’s daughter, said. “She was always so kind and made patients feel at ease. If people were anxious to get their blood drawn, she was efficient and comforting.”

The three patrons killed were Daniel Edwin Baillie, 59, David Allen Leach, 70, and Tony Wayne Palm, 74. All four were residents of Anaconda.

Authorities on Friday arrested suspected shooter Michael Brown after a weeklong manhunt. Authorities have not released any information regarding the shooter's motive.

Kelley was born Nancy Lauretta Meidl to her mother Ruth and father Mel in Anaconda on June 16, 1961. Her parents owned and operated the former Mill Bar in Anaconda, close to the Owl Bar.

Kelley was married to Donald Kelley Jr. for 27 years until his death in April 2018. Their daughter was born in 1982.

In 1988, she graduated from Montana State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing.

Kelley started her career at the Community Hospital of Anaconda, then moved to Butte and worked at St. James Healthcare for 27 years. She then returned to her hometown to work for oncologist Dr. James Hueftle until her retirement.

Kelley was interviewed by The Montana Standard in 2022 when she was acknowledged for National Nurses Week.

Kelley was nominated for the Top Nurses award by a patient in Anaconda who wrote, "She is one of the funniest, most loyal, competent oncology nurses there is. She sugarcoats nothing and you know the facts and what is coming down the pike.”

Kelley’s daughter was notified of the shooting from a friend through text. She promptly called her mother. When she didn’t pick up, Kelley rushed to Anaconda where she learned of her mother’s death.

Cassandra Dutra, 38, is currently a bartender at the Owl. She lives near the bar and said in interviews that Kelley was immediately welcoming and kind when she began working there. She expressed how unfair it was for Kelley, who spent her life caring for other people, to have her life taken away.

Keith Wilkins, the owner of the JFK Bar just a block away from the Owl, has a German shepherd that often sits next to him while he serves drinks.

“Nancy loved animals. When she visited us after working, she always had treats in her purse for the pups in here,” Wilkins said.

Dave Jarabek sat at the bar, petting his dog named Peppy. “He loved Nancy,” he said. “Everybody did.”

Kelley would alert the community about missing dogs and made sure they were returned to their homes. “Dog at the Owl- anybody missing this little one?” she asked in a Facebook post in 2023, with a photo of her partner, Jack Schiele, holding a French bulldog.

“My mom was with Jack for years,” Kristian said as she and her family headed to the local funeral home to discuss plans for a service.

Schiele, 69, is an Anaconda native. Jarabek said that the community considered him and Kelley the happiest couple in town. “You never saw one of them without the other. They were just unbelievable.”