Kellye Russell Hart, 96, born May 1, 1928, at Rush Springs, Okla., was the 11th of 12 children born to John William and Christina (Sperling) Hart.
He died July 1, at Bob Wilson Memorial Hospital in Ulysses.
He attended public schools in Comanche County, Okla., graduating in 1946 from Geronimo High School.
After high school, he served in the United States Army.
Upon discharge from the Army, he attended Cameron College in Lawton, Okla., and Central State College in Edmond Okla., where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in business education.
He worked in finance at Fort Sill, Okla., for two and half years before accepting a teaching position in McCracken, Kans., in 1953. While teaching at McCracken, Kellye earned his master’s degree in school administration at Fort Hays State University. He served as high school principal at Lorraine and Kanopolis, and as superintendent at Ellsworth, Lakin, and Ell-Saline, Kans., school districts.
Kellye and Diana Walker were married June 14, 1958, in La Crosse, Kans.
Kellye retired in 1992 and he and his wife, Diana, moved to Ulysses to be near their grandchildren.
He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Ulysses, Ulysses Masonic Lodge No. 435, the Kansas Ornithological Society, the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and was a life member of the National Education Association and American Legion Post No. 79.
After his retirement, he refinished furniture, coordinated the local American Red Cross blood drives for 15 years, helped with Ulysses wildflower tours and was a birder and compiler for the Ulysses Christmas Bird Counts.
He is survived by his wife, Diana; son, Gary and wife, Barb, Ulysses; daughter, Sherri, Hutchinson, Kans.; granddaughter, Leslie Lorlovick and husband, Derek, Oklahoma City; grandson, Charles, Ulysses; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, five sisters and six brothers.
Funeral Service will be at 10 a.m., Friday, July 5, at Garnand Funeral Home Chapel, Ulysses.
Graveside service will be at 3 p.m., at the La Crosse Cemetery in La Crosse, Kans., with Pastor Willy Banza officiating.
Memorials may be given to the Ulysses Masonic Lodge #435 or the Ulysses First United Methodist Church in care of Garnand Funeral Home, 405 W. Grant Ave., Ulysses, Kans., 67880.
