Kelly Reynold Rockers

Kelly Rockers, 39, of Scipio, Kansas, passed away unexpectedly from natural causes on Friday, December 8, 2023. He was born in Paola, Kansas on August 10, 1984 to Ben and Katie (Wiederholt) Rockers.

As his parents drove to the hospital on the day Kelly was born, they noticed the road was lined with little blue Kansas wildflowers. His dad knew then they were going to have a baby boy. They named him Kelly Reynold Rockers after his Grandpa Kenneth "Kelly" Rockers and Great Grandfather Reynold "Rennie" Huettenmueller. Kelly was the second of four children and he and his siblings were the best of friends who had so much fun together. For them, life on the Rockers family farm was always an adventure. In his youth, Kelly enjoyed camping, hunting, fishing, shooting, and breaking horses from the Adopt A Mustang Program and had the scars and broken bones to prove it!

Kelly attended Saint John's and Greeley Elementary School. He graduated from Anderson County High School in 2002, and Ottawa University in 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology. He then attended Southern Missouri State and studied Chordate Zoology. Early in his education, one of his elementary school teachers, Mrs. Massey taught him to channel his abundant energy into curiosity. Ultimately, Kelly tied together his love of animals and nature and built an outdoor classroom at Ottawa University to inspire students to get out of the classroom and into the field. Kelly found a way to spend more time in nature by running, which earned him college scholarships in cross country and track. He started to fulfill his dream of spending a life outdoors by working collegiate summers with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which led to a job as a park ranger with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. Like his parents and siblings, Kelly was a Hunter Education instructor and mentored countless students. What he learned helping build his family's log home as a kid developed his love of carpentry and his final career choice - a skilled foreman on several construction crews. He achieved his dream: no matter what he did, Kelly found a way to be in nature every day of his life.

In 2012, Kelly began a long-term relationship with Stella Provias and her daughter Sienna and together they formed a family in Lawrence. They welcomed their son Bodhi Lee in 2014. Although life took them in separate directions, they continued to focus on raising Bodhi together.

Kelly loved his son more than anything on earth. Kelly passed on his love of nature to Bodhi through their many walkabouts on the farm and everywhere imaginable. Their honest conversations led to finding the truths of the universe. He taught Bodhi about the magic power of love. Kelly had an infectious smile, genuine hug and a twinkle in his eye that he passed on to Bodhi.

As friends and family know, Kelly was a simple kind of man - humble, genuine, compassionate, very ornery, a giver of unconditional love and hugs and owner of a joyful soul. He said he loved people more than things. Recently, Kelly shared a favorite quote he had found: "When you miss me just look up at the night sky and remember I am like a star; sometimes you can't see me but I am always there."

He was preceded in death by much loved grandparents, aunts, uncles and dear friends.

Kelly is survived by his son, Bodhi Lee Rockers; his parents, Ben and Katie Rockers of Scipio, Kansas; his older sister Kathleen Pearce and her husband, Andrew, and daughters, Kate and Aly of Spring Hill, Kansas; his younger brother Patrick Rockers and wife, Ryan Maye Handy, of Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming; and younger sister Bobbi Jo Wenciker and her husband, Drake, of Spring Hill, Kansas; and many aunts, uncles, cousins and countless close friends.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 AM on Thursday, December 14, 2023, at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Scipio, Kansas. A rosary will be held at 6:00 PM on Wednesday evening at the Feuerborn Family Funeral Service Chapel, followed by visitation from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM. Memorial contributions may be made to the Kelly Rockers Memorial Fund (for the establishment of an educational fund for his son, Bodhi) and left in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.feuerbornfuneral.com