UW senior, 22, chased her dream of ocean research

Celia Kelly's love for the ocean began with a marine-science class at Garfield High School and grew through more than 800 hours volunteering as a teen naturalist at the Seattle Aquarium.

It reached a peak this month when the University of Washington senior, who was 22, took a 10-day capstone research cruise with a dozen other undergraduates off the coast of New Zealand, where they investigated hydrothermal vents in a series of underwater volcanoes.

But Ms. Kelly never got to live out her dream of becoming an ocean-research scientist. She died last Sunday when the Toyota she and four others were traveling in collided with another car a little north of Taupo in New Zealand.

Ms. Kelly was one of several students who had stayed behind in New Zealand for a few days after the voyage to explore the country.

Marie Salmi, another UW student who was injured in the accident, remains in Rotorua Hospital in New Zealand. Her mother, Margaret Salmi, said her daughter is recovering from pelvic fractures and has been able to take a few steps with the aid of a walker.

Those who knew Ms. Kelly describe a young woman who was passionate about her studies and who loved helping others.

"Everybody is devastated," said Debbie Kelley, a professor in the UW School of Oceanography, who was on the cruise. "Celia was a young person who was excelling at something she loved to do."

Kelley said Ms. Kelly had been investigating the chemistry of plumes of underwater gas on the voyage in the Kermadec Arc.

"It's a pretty intense experience. The ship operates 24 hours a day," she said. "All the students got to bond pretty well. There's lot of humor out there, and the students were so excited to be there."

Ms. Kelly wrote a blog item about the trip just a few days before her death. "This certainly has been a fun and exciting adventure," she wrote. " ... we need a little break to recover. At least for now you can find us exploring the wonders of New Zealand. See you back in Seattle!"

Ms. Kelly's mother, Joan Kelly, said her daughter was a huge fan of the Seattle Thunderbirds hockey team and the Seattle International Film Festival. She loved theater and had been involved last academic year in dramatic productions while she was studying abroad at the University of Southampton in England.

Ms. Kelly had even installed a child seat in her car so she could transport her 4-year-old cousin Omari — the light of her life — to hockey games and other events.

Ms. Kelly is survived by her parents, Joshua and Joan Kelly; her sister, Melissa Kelly; and grandmother Katherine Bailey, all of the Seattle area; and grandparents Robert and Teresa Kelly, of Sumner.

A celebration of Ms. Kelly's life will at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Seattle Aquarium, 1483 Alaskan Way. A memorial fund in her name has been established with Washington Mutual. Contributions may be made at any WaMu location.

Nick Perry: 206-515-5639 or nperry@seattletimes.com