Sterling Skyler Kelsen

KELSEN-Sterling Skyler Kelsen (née, Laura Marie Wallace Wells), age 72, of Lawrenceville, GA, passed away on Thursday, November 1, 2018. She was employed with AT&T as a Billings Operations Analyst conducting audits for Sarbanes Oxley (SOX). A Funeral Service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 08, 2018 in the Chapel of Tim Stewart Funeral Home located 2246 Wisteria Drive, Snellville, GA 30078, (770) 979-5010. Interment will follow at Gwinnett Memorial Park in Lawrenceville, GA. The family will receive visitors between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. prior to the service. The Rev. Meg Jackson Clark will officiate. In lieu of flowers, tax-deductible donations and contributions may be made in memoriam to Wells of Wholeness, Inc. (http://wellsofwholeness.org/well-fund-please-give.html) 2775 Cruse Rd, Suite 1201, Lawrenceville, GA 30044 or CheriCorp, Inc. (www.chericorp.org) 950 Herrington Rd., Suite C-121, Lawrenceville, GA 30044 (Two charities founded by her daughter where she served on the Board of Directors.) Online condolences may be left at stewartfh.com Born Laura Marie Wallace midnight on Easter Sunday, April 21, 1946 in Columbus, GA, Sterling was affectionately known as “Bunny” because she was born on Easter. She grew up in Ithaca, NY and Columbus. In Columbus, she lived in a multi-generational home with her mother, siblings, step-grandfather and grandmother—It was this home where her great-aunt, the famous Blues singer, Gertrude “Ma Rainey” Pridgett lived. At age 10, she confessed and accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and personal Savior and was baptized at Friendship Baptist Church in Columbus. Later, she attended Hopewell Baptist Church in Atlanta. In 1992, she legally changed her name to Sterling Skyler Kelsen. In Columbus, she attended Spencer Junior High School and Spencer Senior High School where she graduated in the top 10 percent of her class as a member of the National Honor Society in 1964. Although she received a scholarship to Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, she chose to pursue a path of family life and married Sp. Hugh S. Wells, Jr. From this union two children, April and Ronald were born. Having married into the military, she lived in Munich Germany and Ft. Riley, Kansas. Following marital separation and subsequent divorce, she returned to Columbus and began her career in 1968 as a Telephone Operator in Operator Services at Southern Bell in Columbus, GA. In 1977, she transferred to Mountain Bell, in Denver, CO to work in Customer Service, following the breakup of The Bell Companies. When the divestiture of the Bell Companies occurred in 1984, Sterling continued her work in Customer Interface as a Customer Sales & Service Representative and Customer Sales Service Specialist with AT&T in Atlanta, GA. In 1999, having 30 years seniority with the company, she voluntarily accepted an early retirement package offered from AT&T. She returned to AT&T in 2006 as a General Analyst contractor following the Southern Bell Corporation & AT&T re-merger, where she worked on the Revenue Assurance team. In January 2008 she was hired from contractor to permanent employee, where she was promoted to Methods & Procedures (M&P) Manager. In 2009, she became a Billings Operations Analyst within the AT&T Revenue Assurance group and held various positions and titles within the organization. In 2017, she was recognized and celebrated for 40 years of service to AT&T. However, her employment and service to the Southern Bell Corporation and AT&T spanned more than 50 years. To know her is to know that while she possessed an affinity for the finer things of life, she lived humbly in an effort to meet the needs of others less fortunate. From her childhood days as a Campfire Girl to her final days as a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, colleague, and friend, she sacrificially gave her life in the service of others through her time and resources. Among her many contributions were her anonymous financial gifts to abused women and children; families facing homelessness and underprivileged and underserved populations in need of mental & physical healthcare. In addition, she was a faithful contributor to AT&T’s United Way employee matching fund campaign. She enjoyed her work and loved her team and co-workers. As a result, Sterling was often heard saying that she was never going to retire again. However, on November 1, 2018, she retired from this life to her permanent place of rest with God. She was preceded in death by her parents, Laura Mildred Simmons Wallace and Abraham King Wallace Jr.; three brothers, Louis Wallace, William Wallace, Randolph Wallace; sister, Judith Wallace; and two “grandcats,” Moses and Gabriel. Sterling is survived by and leaves to cherish her special memories and legacy her daughter, Rev. Dr. April Cherié Wells of Lawrenceville; son, Ronald Andrew Wells of Lawrenceville; brother, Abraham King Wallace, III of Columbus; granddaughters, Amber Wells Eiting (Kris) of Madison and Jaela Wells of Lithonia; great-grandson, Malachi Careathers; great-granddaughter, Khloe Eiting; nephews; Craig Alan Murray (Sharon); Randolph Wallace, Jr. and David Wallace; nieces, Stacy Wallace; and Tia Marie Lewis; and a host of great-nieces, great-nephews, relatives and friends.

Sterling Skyler Kelsen

April 21, 1946 - November 1, 2018

What We Do

Flowers & Gifts

Plan Ahead

About Us

Resources

Obituaries

Grief & Healing

Contact Information

Sterling Skyler Kelsen

April 21, 1946 - November 1, 2018

What We Do

Flowers & Gifts

Plan Ahead

About Us

Resources

Obituaries

Grief & Healing

Contact Information

365 Days of Grief Support