Kellye Pfalzgraf

Kellye Emil Pfalzgraf, 71, formerly of Monona, Iowa, passed away Feb. 17, 2023, in his home in Grain Valley, Missouri. Kellye was born on May 23, 1951, in Riverside, California, to Virgil Verdean Pfalzgraf and LaVera Joyce Ehler. He grew up on a farm in northwestern Iowa with his two sisters before earning a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Iowa State University in 1975. In 1976, Kellye opened his private practice in Monona, Iowa, working there until 1998 when he became the Corporate Veterinarian of Tyson/IBP foods in charge of Humane Handling and Animal Welfare. Kellye retired in 2015.

Kellye married Charlotte Jean Marshall on September 7, 1974, and had two daughters. Charlotte called him a "renaissance man" because he had such a wide range of interests. He raised ostriches and emus in Monona and had very eclectic hobbies such as leather crafting, homemade soap making, woodworking, stained glass, rag-rug weaving, knitting, hunting, and clock making. His favorite thing to do was going to Silver Dollar City with his family and making pumpkin pies with his granddaughters.

Kellye devoted his life to caring for animals. After leaving his veterinary practice, Kellye worked first for the USDA and then for Tyson/IBP foods, answering God’s call to become more directly involved in humane animal handling. He worked closely with Temple Grandin and became one of the leading voices in this field, presenting at many conferences and serving on committees dedicated to teaching others about animal handling and welfare. Kellye passed on his love for animals to his daughter Joy, who worked at the Humane Society of Missouri for fifteen years and continues to volunteer at a local animal shelter, and passed on his faith to his daughter Sami, who is an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Kellye is survived by his wife of 48 years, Charlotte; daughters, Joyce (Kevin) Fuller and Samantha Pfalzgraf of Missouri; granddaughters, Hannah and Gretchen; sisters, Karna Jo (John) Free of Holstein, Iowa, and Kerrie Sue Pfalzgraf of Washington.

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers donations to be made in Kellye’s honor to KC Pet Project, to further their mission of providing a safe, compassionate community for pets and people.