Brian Lee Kelley

Brian Lee Kelley, 79, of Winfield, KS passed away unexpectedly, Friday, May 27, 2022, at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, KS.

Brian was born February 18, 1943, in Fredonia, KS the son of Herbert and Paulina (Thomson) Kelley. He attended school in Fredonia until the family moved to Winfield in 1954 when he was in the 6th grade. He completed his education in Winfield, graduating with the WHS Class of 1961. He joined the Kansas Army National Guard in August 1962 and was honorably discharged in March 1968. He was united in marriage to Barbara Brockmeier on September 24, 1967, and they would have celebrated their 55th anniversary this September.

As a young boy and teen, he worked on the family farm, enjoyed raising Black Angus Cattle, riding the family horse, Star, and later was especially proud of training his own horse, Prince, to do many tricks.

Brian also worked as an electrician, in heating and air conditioning, managing grain elevators, as well as farming. In 1994, he began work as general manager of Fleming Feed and Grain, Winfield, and Burden locations, and was continuing to be on call for them at the present time.

Brian was a WWII buff, he enjoyed building objects from wood and tinkering. He was on the Board of the Cowley County Fair for many years, on the Vernon Township Board for many years, and was the class treasurer for the Class of ’61 Alumni. In 2019 he was inducted into the Kansas Fairs and Festivals Association Hall of Fame.

Brian was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Bobby Kelley and Buddy Kelley and wife Satchiko; his sister Elizabeth (Betty) Harris and her husband Hubert; half-sisters Lavina May Stevenson and Faye Mohrbacher and husband Jim; and nephews Michael Gene Kelley and Steven Lynn Kelley.

He is survived by his wife Barbara Kelley; son Brian “Todd” Kelley and wife Jerissa; daughter Lisa Flaming and husband Ben; grandchildren Abbigail Reese Kelley and Alivia Dawn Kelley; siblings Pat Kelley and wife Phylis; Larry Kelley and wife Martha; Ted Kelley and wife Ivy; Ken Kelley and wife Lois; as well as many nieces, nephews, and great and great-great nieces and nephews, and many friends.   

Military honors will be performed at 11:30 A.M., Tuesday, June 21st, 2022 at the American Legion Post 10. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Cowley County 4-H Youth Development or the Cowley County Humane Society. Arrangements are in the care of the Shelley Family Funeral Home of Winfield.

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