KELLY, Eugene "Gene" - b. April 17, 1931 - d. November 28, 2016

[patyrn]

Earl Eugene "Gene" Kelly, a native Oklahoman, found it was just an oversight of geography for the man who enjoyed the best of many worlds only possible through small-town living when he purchased and built from the ground up "Wine Glass Ranch" in Elk County, Kansas with his wife, Jan.  A rancher and owner of the Howard State Bank, Gene passed away November 28, 2016 at Pleasant Valley Manor in Sedan, Kansas.  He was born April 17, 1931, the oldest of five boys to Lee and Eva (Jackson) Kelly in Grainola, Oklahoma.

Gene attended Grainola High School, Ark City Junior College in Arkansas City, Kansas, and Oklahoma A&M University in Stillwater, Oklahoma before serving two years in the United States Army.  Gene met Jan, and they married September 21, 1957 in Bartlesvfille, Oklahoma.  For a short time, they had a ranch in Rock, Kansas before settling at the current Wine Glass Ranch.  Gene's background in ranching and farming was a great asset to the Wine Glass Ranch.  During this time, a son, Ken was born.  He has worked alongside his father and continues to maintain the family ranch,.

In the 1980s, Gene became a stockholder and later majority owner of the Howard State Bank in Howard, Kansas that now has four branches.  However, Gene's true passion was raising Hereford cattle in his earlier years.  He was a calf roper and participated on their Ranch Rodeo Team.

Gene is survived by his wife, Jan, of the home; son, Ken; granddaughters, Kactus (Miles) Bidwell of Manhattan, Kansas and Kanyon Kelly of Caney, Kansas; great-grandson, Kash Bidwell; and brothers, Chuck Kelly of Grainola, Oklahoma and Carl Kelly of Hewins, Kansas. He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Robert and Paul Kelly.

A visitation will be held Wednesday, November 30, 2016 at Countryside Funeral Home, 206 E. Washington, Howard, Kansas.  Funeral services will be Thursday, December 1, 2016 at the Severy United Methodist Church in Severy, Kansas with Pastors Dave Warren and Stacy Ellsworth officiating.  Interment will be at the South Lawn Cemetery in Severy, Kansas.  Arrangements are being made with Countryside Funeral Home.  Online condolences may be left at www.countrysidefh.com.

(taken from the Countryside Funeral Home website)