Bowler.
She was active in sports, especially bowling. She began ten-pin bowling in the early 1970s at Saratoga Lanes in Winnipeg, where she served as League Secretary for two years until Saratoga changed to five-pin. She then joined the Buffalo Recreation League and bowled both at Northgate Bowl and Empress Lanes. Upon the closure of Northgate Bowl, she joined another league at Chateau Lanes and continued at Empress Lanes.
In 1980, encouraged of her team-mates, she became involved with the Manitoba Provincial Women’s Bowling Association (MPWBA). She moved up the ranks quickly, being elected Second-Vice President in 1982 and President in 1986. During her 20 years of service on the Board, she was involved in the hosting of countless tournaments and chaired or served on the many committees.
In 1987, she initiated and helped establish the Karol Routliffe Memorial Tournament in honour of a friend and teammate. In 1992, she was elected President of the Manitoba Tenpin Federation. She participated in several Women’s International Bowling Congress (WIBC) annual Tournaments and attended many of its Annual Conventions as a Delegate for MPWBA. The Seniors Tournament, which was jointly conducted by the Manitoba Provincial Tenpin Bowling Association and the MPWBA, and funded by the Manitoba Tenpin Federation, qualified four men and four women to participate in the American Bowling Congress-Women’s International Bowling Congress Seniors’ Tournament held annually in the United States. She contributed greatly to the success of this program through her efforts in arranging the travel, accommodation, registration, and uniforms for these bowlers. On many occasions, she also traveled with the provincial senior contingent as team manager.
With her help and that of the board members, the MPWBA strived to improve and provide more opportunities for the women bowlers of Manitoba. Recognizing that there were limited opportunities for women’s league bowlers, she established a 170 & Under Tournament in 1997. Under her leadership, the organization increased the number of tournaments from three a year to eight. She also spearheaded the provision of grassroots coaching for many league bowlers who were looking to improve their game.
She enjoyed archery, golf, and curling, and was the champion horseshoe pitcher at Malachi, Ontario.
She died at Winnipeg on 23 June 2010.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 26 June 2010.
“Patricia Kelly,” Manitoba Tenpin Federation, 1999.
This page was prepared by Lois Braun.
Page revised: 21 October 2025
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