Jody Kelly, Amazing Race Alum, Dead at 85

We have some sad news to report about an Amazing Race legend.

Jody Kelly, who competed on The Amazing Race Season 16 in 2010, has died.

She was 85 years old.

The Austin-American Statesman reports that the competitor died “suddenly but peacefully” on September 5, 2023.

Kelly was born on January 21, 1938, in Opelika, Alabama, and was raised in Gainesville, Florida.

The reality TV star earned a Ph.D. in English Literature from Duke University in 1974.

She went on to teach at the University of Louisiana for 16 years.

Jody went on to study computer science and switched up her career after moving to Austin, Texas. In 1984, she became a technical writer at IBM, Vignette, and Oriel STAT.

Jody taught writing for eleven years at Austin Community College and also published several books.

Feeling Good: Strength Training With Your Significant Elder was among the impressive titles.

She also wrote countless articles on sports and health for Austin Fit Magazine.

Jody appeared on The Amazing Race at age 71, alongside her grandaughter Shannon Foster.

In an interview with Reality Wanted in 2010, Shannon opened up about how Jody went all out for the show.

“Gram was definitely the one who went all out for it,” Shannon declared, adding:

“It took a little bit to convince me because I just graduated from college. It didn’t take long before I was like, Life is an adventure!’

Kelly also opened up about her workout regimen.

“We continued with our previous training with triathlon stuff, and stepped it up with pilates.”

“I did some extra things with weightlifting. I slept out in my car and on the floor, and I did some sudoku to overcome my fear of numbers,” she said at the time.

Kelly was very excited about the prospect of competing alongside her granddaughter.

“Oh, I’m thrilled to have done this together with Shannon, and it’s a relief not to be the first one out.”

“I’m very, very happy that we were always pleasant with each other and positive.”

Following her time on the CBS competition series, Jody launched her own business, StrengthMobile, which helped with physical training for senior citizens.

In the years after her reality TV appearance, Jody continued competing in triathlons.

She represented Team USA at Worlds in Budapest (2010), London (2013), Cozumel (2016), and Pontevedra, Spain (2019).

Kelly is survived by her four children — Kate Leith, Kelly Foster, Christy Izmirian (Doug), and Bruce Moore (Jayne) — and 11 grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and by her brother Bill (Bruce William Kelly Jr.) and his wife Lynda.

May Jody Kelly rest in peace.

If you want to relive Jody’s time on the series, remember you can watch The Amazing Race online, right here via TV Fanatic.

Episodes are also available via Paramount+.

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Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.