KENNETH M. STELLISH, 64, of rural Aurelia, Iowa passed away Wednesday, March 28, 2012 at the Cherokee Regional Medical Center.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, March 31st, at 10:30 a.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee, Iowa. Rev. Magrey de Vega will officiate. Burial will be at Pleasant Hill Cemetery at Aurelia, Iowa. Visitation will be on Friday, March 30th, from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home with the family present from 6:30 p.m. until 8 p.m.
On line condolences may be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com

Ken was born July 16, 1947 at Cherokee, Iowa to Wayne and Anne (Bradfield) Stellish. He graduated from Aurelia High School in 1965. He graduated from Buena Vista College in Storm Lake with a Bachelors Degree in History and Political Science. He went to graduate school at Texas A & M. He was married to Janet Sundberg and they had a daughter Sadie. He was later married to Jeanne Dilocker and had a son Tony. Ken had farmed for a number of years south of Aurelia and then moved to Colorado and built houses with his brother Les in Boulder, Colorado. He returned to Aurelia to pursue his lifelong passion, farming; and did so ever since. He was very proud of his farming operation and later coached his son and son-in-law in the tricks of the trade. Beyond that, he enjoyed bird watching, planting trees, and anything outdoors. He loved spending time with his friends he had known for years. He was very happy with the time he spent overseas and traveled throughout the world. Ken had many projects, but his primary hobby in the winter was assembling his 1967 Dodge Coronet R/T which he was able to see completed. He had a work hard, get things done philosophy and accomplished so much with that mindset. He had a larger than life personality; was easy going, fun-loving, and had a great sense of humor.

He was preceded in death by his parents Wayne and Anne Stellish and his wife Jeanne on December 29, 2001.

He is survived by his children: Sadie Stellish Gehlsen and her husband Dan of Aurelia, Iowa; Tony Stellish of Aurelia, Iowa; a step-son Jeff; his siblings; Dennis Stellish of China; Leslie Stellish of Westminster, Colorado; Nancy McIlvennan and her husband Phil of Arvada, Colorado; father-in-law & mother-in-law Kenneth & Marge Sundberg of Cherokee, Iowa; also several nieces and nephews.