Mike Kellett

Michael Shannon “Skillet” Kellett, 71, of Ivanhoe Township in northern Haskell County, passed away on March 12, 2026. Born on June 19, 1954, to Donald and Betty Jean Kellett, Mike was largely raised by his grandparents, Gibb and Myrtle Yount. A proud graduate of Sublette High School, Class of 1972, he was known to friends as Skillet, Frying Pan, or simply Pan. He studied veterinary medicine at Kansas State University, later earned a pilot’s license, and spent many years as a semi-truck driver and farmer. In his later years he worked in the farming business alongside his trusted friend, Gene Davis.

Mike was a brilliant and endlessly curious man whose high-altitude intellect was matched by a deeply grounded sense of logic and humor. An armchair philosopher with an encyclopedic knowledge that ranged from quantum physics to the ways of the prairie, he could find cosmic truth in a rusted gearbox or an Americana lyric. He approached life and people with non-judgmental curiosity and quiet affection, collecting friends as readily as he cared for the animals on his family farm, which was home to Jeeps, prairie dogs, donkeys, and his “pet” badgers. Even in declining health, he remained sharp, self-deprecating, and unfailingly loyal, turning every setback into a story that left those around him laughing.

He is survived by his half-sisters, Kathleen Burnett and Suzanne Teuscher of Utah; several cousins, including his favorite young cousin, Colton Sneath of Katy; and a chosen family of Davises, Rogges, Chaffins, and dear friends including Mike Hooper, Bill Garrison, and Tyle Trahern. He was preceded in death by his parents, his infant brother, aunts Peggy Melcum and Janice Yount, and close friends Vic Chaffin, John Hays, Milton Rogge, Jim Phoenix, and Bill West.

Mike lived his 71 years on the land with a rare blend of wit, wisdom, and warmth, believing that people still care deeply for one another no matter how many cylinders they have left. As he once observed, tragedy is required to experience bliss. He has now taken the scenic route home.