WALDPORT – The Waldport community and educators at its two schools are reeling from the death of a beloved second-grade teacher in a head-on crash Tuesday on U.S. Highway 20 east of Blodgett.
Anna Kelley, 31, of Waldport, was killed when her vehicle was struck by a car driven by Shylene Olsen, 26, of Corvallis, who also was killed. Investigators said Olsen’s car crossed the center line and collided with Kelley’s Toyota Highlander about 3:35 p.m. Tuesday two miles east of Blodgett.
Two of Kelley’s children, a 1-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy, were removed from her vehicle by a passerby and taken by ambulance to Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Corvallis with minor injuries, according to the Philomath News.
Philomath Fire & Rescue deputy chief Rich Saalsaa told Philomath News that the children were saved by their car seats.
“In all my years of responding to accidents, this was the most difficult extrication that I encountered,” he told Philomath News.
The sheriff’s office said the cause of the crash is still under investigation and asked that anyone with information or who may have witnessed the crash to contact deputies at BentonCoSheriff@bentoncountyor.gov or call 541-753-8477 and refer to case 2024-2228.
Friends of Kelley’s family set up a GoFundMe account to support her husband, Travis, and children and it had reached $55,000 Thursday from nearly 550 donors during an outpouring of support from the community.
Kelley taught at Crestview Heights School for eight years and coached volleyball at Waldport High School from 2018-2021. Her sister, Becky Moser, is a sixth-grade teacher at Crestview and her brother-in-law Mike Moser is a PE teacher and coach at Waldport High School.
Crestview Heights principal Sandi Battles issued a statement Wednesday evening that said Kelley “made a lasting impression on so many young lives and colleagues, and her loss is truly heartbreaking.”
During back-to-school night next week, Battles said there will be a dedicated space in the courtyard where students and families can write notes, sign cards or draw pictures for the Kelley family, share memories, and support each other. The school will also have counselors and other support available for students once classes start after Labor Day, she said.
Kelley had “such a positive and joyful spirit,” Battle said. “She was a strong advocate for her students in every way possible. Mrs. Kelley’s passion for teaching and unwavering commitment to our students will be remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing her.”
Waldport city councilor Jayme Morris, a longtime secretary and now kindergarten teacher at Crestview, said in a statement to YachatsNews that she had witnessed Kelley’s “journey from an enthusiastic young educator to a respected leader within our school.”
“Alongside her professional growth, she has also been a devoted mother and a cherished member of our community,” Morris said. “Anna was someone you could always rely on and no matter the situation, she had a unique way of making things better. She has profoundly impacted the lives of countless adults and an immeasurable number of children.”