Donna Kelce (néeBlalock) is an American former banker and the mother of National Football League players Jason Kelce and Travis Kelce. In addition to raising two professional athletes, she has been involved in charitable initiatives and appeared in media roles, including acting in Hallmark Channel films and being named one of Glamour's women of the year in 2024.
Early life and education
Donna Kelce (née Blalock) was born and raised in Cleveland.[1][2] Her mother Ina Marie Petranek's maternal grandparents, George Stajduhar and Mary Jurkovich, emigrated to the United States from Croatia.[3] Kelce was raised in a small house downtown with her grandparents living in the upstairs.[2]
At the age of 12, her mother died.[3] The family, which included her father Donald Roy Blalock and younger brother Don, relocated from Cleveland to Moreland Hills, Ohio.[1][4] Her father later remarried Mary, who played a key role in Kelce's upbringing.[1] Kelce credited Mary with helping her and her brother maintain stability during their formative years. She remained an influential figure in Kelce's life until her death in 2023.[1]
Although her father opposed women participating in sports, Kelce pursued track and field with the support of her stepmother. During high school, she competed in the Junior Olympics, where she competed in track and field events. Kelce became the first in her family to graduate from college, earning a degree in radio and television from Ohio University.[1][2] She completed a M.B.A. at Baldwin Wallace University.[4]
Career
Kelce pursued a 30-year career in banking, working for Mastercard and later specializing in commercial real estate finance at a Cleveland-based bank.[1]
Kelce has participated in charitable efforts connected to her public persona.[5][6] In one initiative, mugs featuring her likeness and a recipe were sold to raise funds for student lunch debt relief.[6] Kelce approved the project and supported its mission.[6][5]
In 2024, Kelce was named one of Glamour's women of the year.[5] The recognition highlighted her role as the mother of two professional football players and her reflections on motherhood, ambition, and perseverance.[5]
Personal life
Kelce met Ed Kelce at Fagan's, a bar in Cleveland.[2] They married in the 1970s and remained together for twenty years before divorcing.[4][2] They are the parents of Jason Kelce, who played as a center for the Philadelphia Eagles, and Travis Kelce, a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs.[7] In 2022, they became the first brothers to play against each other in a Super Bowl, an event that drew public attention to Kelce as their mother.[7][5]
Kelce has spoken about her experiences raising her sons, emphasizing the challenges of parenting and her efforts to instill responsibility and independence in them.[5] Kelce also discussed her pride in their accomplishments and their grounded personalities despite their public success.[5]
