Remembering Mrs Kelly Kinghorn
By Anne Gorman | Posted: Monday February 9, 2026
It is with great sadness that we again acknowledge the passing of Mrs Kelly Kinghorn, a cherished member of our staff. Her loss is deeply felt by our entire school community.
In a way Kelly has been a part of Otago Boys’ from long before she started working here. I can recall many occasions in the staff room when, as Kelly was growing up, Mike would tell us about how Kelly was getting on – how she was studying Japanese at Queens, how much she enjoyed music, how she loved English and how she was going on to Otago University to study English and History. It was great to hear about Kelly’s passions because we shared that interest in languages and books and the past.
After Kelly had returned to university and completed her Masters of Teaching and Learning, Mike mentioned that she was keen to become a relief teacher here. I was equally keen to have her. Kelly began working as a reliever here in 2021. Having two sons of her own and her experience with two no doubt at times annoying younger brothers, Kelly was well-versed in dealing with boys. As a relief teacher she was excellent. Her curriculum knowledge stood her in good stead, both as a reliever and when she became our school librarian. In the classroom she took an interest in the boys and what they were doing, helped them with their work and offered them advice and guidance. At the same time Kelly was no pushover. She had high standards and expectations of the boys and didn’t take any rubbish. Another skill that served her well as the librarian.
When that position as our school librarian became vacant, I and many other staff were hoping that Kelly would apply for the job. We were delighted when she was appointed. At the start of 2023 Kelly became a permanent member of the OBHS staff. As our librarian, Kelly made the library a thriving, vibrant place. Kelly’s knowledge, along with her passion for literature and books made her a real asset. As an avid reader herself, Kelly had her finger on what would appeal to both the boys and the staff. She could find a book to suit anyone’s tastes. This was incredibly valuable when we went to buy books for prizegiving. If we were unsure about adding a book to our pile, we would run it past Kelly to get the final “aye” or “nay”.
Kelly was keen to promote reading. She started a house reading challenge where boys could get house points by reading a book and writing a short review. She reviewed books for the school newsletter and encouraged boys to do the same. She read a huge amount of teen fiction so that she could be up to date with books that were likely to appeal to the boys. I know that one reason she looked forward to the summer break each year was because she would have time to read more adult fiction.
But, for Kelly the library was about more than books and reading. It was a place to embrace all the students, staff, cultures, interests and activities of Otago Boys’. Kelly made displays for whatever topical issue or event was happening. She organized quizzes, like the Harry Potter quiz and the Māori Language Week quiz. She was a strong supporter of the Gay Straight Alliance Group and the library became their meeting place. With her love of music, she was happy to make the library the venue for the heats of what has become the annual OBHS Talent Quest. The library was a living reflection of the fact that Kelly was welcoming to and inclusive of everyone. Our Rector Richard Hall said last week, “The library is situated at the centre of the school, a perfect placement as it puts learning at the heart of everything we do. However, a building is only a structure; it requires a heart to bring it to life. Kelly was that heart.”
Kelly didn’t limit her involvement at OBHS to the library. Together she and I managed the 4thXI football team for the last couple of years. It is fair to say that on the sideline she was a calmer presence than I was. She regularly attended the support staff morning tea where she was a keen participant in the daily ODT quiz and the daily Wordle. I have already mentioned that Kelly loved music. She was an enthusiastic member of the staff choir. Kelly just loved singing and performing.
I hope it is clear to you that the most important thing to Kelly was people. Her greatest flaw was probably that she didn’t know how to say, “No.” When anyone asked if Kelly could do something for them, it seemed never to be a bother to her. She always helped out. Kelly made time for a chat, even when she was flat out with work. I am sure there were times when she was thinking, “Look. I have a ton of work to do. Could you just go away?” But she never said it. As a colleague and friend, Kelly was generous with her time. She was genuinely kind, considerate and caring.
At Otago Boys’ Kelly touched many lives. She was much loved and she will be very much missed.
