Stephen Ray Kelley, age 69, passed away peacefully August 29, 2020 due to Covid-19 complications. He was born August 2, 1951 in Colony, KS to Norman Kelley and Margie Jones. He lived in McLouth, Lawrence and Iola, Kansas as a child and moved to Wichita for high school. He proudly served in the US Army. He became Sergeant in the US Army in just 9 months from the time he entered the service, due to his hard work and leadership qualities. He then served in the Vietnam War. He married his best friend, Lisa Kelley, in 2005. Steve was a long time West Wichita commercial and residential contractor, developer, real estate investor, and excavator. He was always self-employed and enjoyed running his own business. Steve was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend. He was a proud member of the Masonic Lodge, Midian Shriners and WABA. He loved to fish, hunt, and gamble. He spent many weekends at his cabin in Texoma, Oklahoma. He enjoyed classic cars and working on the farm. Most of all, he loved living life and being surrounded by family and his many friends. There were very few places he could go without knowing someone. He loved telling stories, pulling pranks and had a great sense of humor. He was a man that people turned to and respected. Steve is survived by his wife, Lisa D. Kelley; daughter, Kristi L. Kirkpatrick (Aaron) of Viola, Ks; Granddaughter, Ella Kirkpatrick; brother, Richard “Rick” E. Kelley of Wichita, Ks; sisters, Connie J. Oldfather (Ron) and Barbara Havel of Wichita, Ks; half-brother, Ranson Webster of Reno, NV. He was preceded in death by his father, Norman L. Kelley, his mother, Margie D. Jones and his brother, Gary W. Kelley. Funeral Services will be Friday, September 4 at 10 a.m. at Pathway Church, 2001 N. Maize Rd, Wichita, KS 67212. Burial will be at Ozark Colony Cemetery in Colony, KS at 2:30 p.m. Visitation will be Thursday, September 3, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Resthaven Mortuary, 11800 West US-54, Wichita, KS 67209. Family will be there receiving visitors 12 p.m. - 2 p.m. Memorial Contributions may be made to, Shriners Hospital for Children at donate.lovetotherescue.org.
