Otis "Gene" Kelsey

Otis Eugene Kelsey, of Latham, Kansas, passed away peacefully at Kansas Veterans Home in Winfield, KS on Thursday, August 6, 2026 at the age of 82.

Gene was born January 4, 1944 in Marion, KS, the son of Otis Gaston Kelsey and Lorena June Janzen Kelsey. With his little brother, they sold Shipley Doughnuts door to door while in grade school. After that, they had a newspaper route for The Beacon and then continued a newspaper route for The Eagle.

After graduating from Wichita West High School in 1962, Gene served in the Army National Guard and was sent to Vietnam.

Through the years he worked at Cochran Mortuary as the amble wagon driver delivering flowers to the cemetery, Carman Craft in Topeka (a repair shop for railcars), SW Grease & Oil, Wichita Terminal Association all before hiring on with Santa Fe Railroad.

On the railroad Gene worked as a switchman, brakeman and conductor. He retired as a conductor from Santa Fe with 38 years of service in 2004. After retirement from Santa Fe, he worked part time as a parts driver for O'Reilly

On November 4, 1972 he married Sherry Lee Bonine. They divorced in June 1981.

They had three daughters, Mary, Ardena and Jenni. There are nine grandkids, Mary & Ken Steadman, Rachel, Michael & Hannah, Ardena & Grant Schienbein. Luke, Jesse, Anna & Jacob, Jenni & Jon Lackrone. Emily & Joshua.

On June 25, 1982 Gene married Jacquelyn Kay Finley. They had no children together. Jacque brought a daughter into the marriage, Sara Jean Dietler.

Gene is also survived by his sister Gloria (Jay) Pankratz and brother Kenneth (Melodie) Kelsey of which he is the eldest child.

He enjoyed having a model train set, collecting Santa Fe memorabilia, and he loved to talk trains to whoever would listen. Gene liked traveling, puzzles, games, dominoes, fishing, playing solitaire on computer, bowling league. A favorite game for the family was Wahoo! In high school he made a Wahoo board.

Gene was known for his western hat and clothes. He liked to smoke a pipe and had the nickname Popeye. He enjoyed many pets in lifetime leaving behind a German Shepherd, Apollo.

The family would like to thank Sara Jean, his home health aide. She allowed him to be able to stay at home a little longer before he had to move into the Veterans Home.

Services will be announced by Affordable Cremations Plus, Wichita, Kansas.