Mike Kellett

Michael Shannon "Skillet" Kellett, 71, of Ivanhoe Township, finally decided on Thursday, March 12, 2026, that the aging process was a cruel and unnatural outcome of a Universe biased toward the young. A man of vision and spectacular whizbangery, Mike spent his final years in what he affectionately referred to as "Poverty Valley," northern Haskell County, where over the years he presided over a family farm full of Jeeps, prairie dogs, donkeys, and his "pet" badgers.

Born June 19, 1954, to Donald Kellett and Betty Jean Kellett, Mike was largely raised by his grandparents, Gibb and Myrtle Yount. He was a Sublette High alum (Class of '72) where he was known variously as "Skillet," "Frying Pan," or just "Pan." He was a man of high-altitude intellect and grounded logic. He studied veterinary medicine at K-State and, in the late 1970s, earned a pilot's license-proving that while the State of Kansas may have sometimes had reservations about his right to drive a car, the federal government was perfectly fine with him operating an airplane. He eventually traded the cockpit for the cab of a semi-truck, working for many years as a driver and farmer. In his later years, he worked in the farming business with his trusted friend, Gene Davis.

Mike was a brilliant armchair philosopher who could wax poetic at the drop of a hat, finding cosmic truth in everything from a rusted-out gearbox to the beauty of an Americana lyric. He once argued to a friend that a "truly caring creator" would have "allowed us to reach our peak desirability just a week before we suddenly dried up like a wilted watermelon vine." A perpetual student of the world, Mike possessed an encyclopedic knowledge that spanned from the complexities of quantum physics to the acrid, heavy stench of a cattle pasture before a storm. He believed in the best of his community, even when the wind was blowing from the wrong direction, and he never met a subject-or a neighbor-he didn't find worthy of a long, rambling investigation. Whether the discussion turned to biological sciences or his own resemblance to a photo of an elderly Renoir, Mike's logic was a bizarre caricature of genius that never failed to entertain.

Despite poor health, which he bore quietly so as not to trouble a soul, he remained sharp and hilariously self-deprecating. When life-or people-handed him a setback, he simply turned the other cheek, made a joke, and stepped aside, making a mental note for his next dinner-table comedy set. He was a man who possessed a deep, non-judgmental curiosity, moving seamlessly from debating quantum computing to enjoying a home-cooked meal at a neighbor's table. While he was never one to turn down a free dinner, he always paid his way in the currency he valued most: hours of side-splitting stories, usually featuring himself as the lead in some hilarious foible. Whether he was recounting a high-stakes negotiation with a cracker-crazy possum or the physics of driving home with a 'bowling ball head,' Mike usually featured himself as the lead in some hilarious foible.He was a man of immense loyalty and quiet affection, a caretaker of animals and a collector of friends, who believed that no matter how many cylinders you were currently running on, people still give a rat's ass about one another.

He is survived by his half-sisters, Kathleen Burnett and Suzanne Teuscher of Utah; several cousins, including his favorite young cousin, Colton Sneath (Katy); and a chosen family of Davises, Rogges, Chaffins, and dear friends like Mike Hooper, Bill Garrison, and Tyle Trahern. He's gone to join his parents, his infant brother, aunts Peggy Melcum and Janice Yount, and the friends who beat him to the finish line: Vic Chaffin, John Hays, Milton Rogge, Jim Phoenix, and Bill West.

In honor of the event Mike founded years ago, a "Farmers, Freaks, and Truckers Send-Off" will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 4, 2026, at the American Legion Building in Sublette. Bring your best "Skillet" story to share. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to assist with arrangements may be made to Weeks Family Funeral Home, P.O. Box 1200, Sublette, KS 67877. Cremation has taken place.

Mike lived 71 years on the land, and as he once wrote, he finally realized that "tragedy is required to experience bliss." He's finally found the clear path on which to leave-and since he was known to occasionally lose his direction (and his driver's license), we can only assume he's taking the scenic route.