Obituary for Dr. Stephan M. E. Kellner, Ph.D.
Dr. Stephan M. E. Kellner, Ph.D., 88, of Underhill, VT passed away peacefully at his home on May 20, 2021, surrounded by his loving family after a brief illness. He was born Stephan Maria Eduard Kellner on February 1st, 1933 in Friedberg, Germany to Hugo Maria Kellner and Maria Magdalena “Lenchen” Wickert Kellner. He was the second eldest of ten children.
Stephan’s early years were divided between the family home in Germany and boarding school in England. From September 1937 until August 1939, he attended preschool and kindergarten at a Convent school in England where he was privately tutored by the Sisters at the all-girls school to avoid Nazi influence on his young mind. Returning to Germany just before World War II, he attended a private school in Augsburg for first through fourth grade. This is where he learned to play the violin and began his lifelong love of music and singing.
He attended the Gymnasium of St. Stephan in Augsburg, Germany, a Benedictine school for grades five through ten. This part of his education was interrupted periodically by bombing necessitating a change in schools once again. Immediately following the end of the war, all the children were homeschooled by their uncle, Stephan Wickert.
On August 5th, 1949, Stephan sailed on the SS “Marine Tiger” from LeHavre, France to New York City. Together with his parents and eight siblings, Stephan immigrated to Rochester, New York. There are many relatives still living in the Rochester area. In September 1949 he entered Aquinas Institute, an all-boys Catholic High school, where he graduated third in his class of 340 students. While attending high school, Stephan and his siblings all maintained paper routes and worked after school in their father’s machine shop to assist in supporting the family.
Stephan entered the University of Rochester in September 1951 with a full Scholarship. He graduated with honors in 1955 with dual bachelor’s Degrees in Chemistry and Physics. He earned a fellowship at the University of Rochester as an assistant instructor while he earned his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry in May of 1959. Stephan moved to Essex Junction, VT in September 1959 to teach Chemistry at St. Michael’s College in Colchester, VT.
It is while working at St. Michael’s that Stephan met the love of his life, Jane Bogue. They were introduced on a blind date to one another by a mutual friend in the Registrar’s Office at St. Michael’s. This friend convinced Jane to allow Stephan to teach her to ski. It was not very long after they began courting that Stephan proposed marriage to Jane halfway down the mountain on a ski excursion. They were married on August 27, 1960 and had many eventful years and thirteen children together.
Stephan was a Professor of Chemistry at St. Michael’s for forty years when he retired in 1999. Dr. Kellner was very influential in the education of generations of St. Michael’s students. He was known as a professor that expected his students to learn, not as an easy class. As a professor, he would occasionally invite “orphan” college athletes, students that could not go home over Thanksgiving break due to games during the holiday, home for dinner. He was also very diligent to ensure that he was always available during office hours to any student that needed a bit of extra help learning the material from one of his many classes.
After retirement Stephan wanted to contribute to the community, so he got a license to drive a school bus. He drove a bus for Special needs students for five years before he retired for good. He enjoyed many hobbies including sailing with Jane, camping at Lake Elmore State Park and in Maine, traveling to visit family and friends, glass blowing and especially his gardens. In recent years, his garden has been used to provide fresh vegetables to the food pantry in Cambridge, VT as well as for family members.
Stephan was an active member of St. Thomas Church for sixty years. As a member of the congregation, he served many roles. He was a Eucharistic Minister, a Lector, an educator in the Catechism Program, and a Music Minister. Many a Christmas Eve would find him singing in the choir for Midnight Mass. Stephan was a faithful, devout Catholic all his life and his family takes comfort knowing that he is now reunited with Jane, his beloved wife.
Stephan is predeceased by his parents Hugo and Maria M (Wickert) Kellner, wife, Jane Bogue Kellner, and sons, Michael and Bernard, of Underhill, VT; Sister, Sr. Magdalena Kellner, SSJ of Rochester, NY and Brother, Dr. Thomas Kellner, DDS. of Phoenix, MD and Thedor Kellner of Friedberg, Germany. He is survived by 11 children, Paul Kellner and wife, Karen, of Jeffersonville, Mark Kellner of Bakersfield, Ted Kellner and wife, Denise, of East Fairfield, Mary Jane Kreps and husband, Matthew, of Borup, MN., Elizabeth Machia and husband, David, of Waterville, Margaret Gardner and husband, Brett, of Coatesville, PA, Monica Kellner and partner, Michael Trepanier, of Colchester, Christine Morse and husband Bill of Graniteville , Christopher Kellner, Julie Kellner, and John Kellner and wife, Christen, all of Underhill; 23 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and many foster children over the years; Sisters Sr. Maria Kellner, SSJ, and Maria Bors of Rochester, NY, Agnes Gebauer of Fairport, NY, and Brothers Norbert Kellner of Frisco, TX, Benedikt Kellner of Wappingers Falls, NY, and Fr. Winfried Kellner, of Rochester, NY.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday July 31st at 10:00 am at St. Thomas Church, Underhill, VT followed by a burial service at Pleasant Valley Cemetery on Dean Road in Underhill. Reception to follow at St. Thomas Church. Arrangements by A. W. Rich Funeral Home of Fairfax, VT. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to UVM Home Health and Hospice.
Stephan’s early years were divided between the family home in Germany and boarding school in England. From September 1937 until August 1939, he attended preschool and kindergarten at a Convent school in England where he was privately tutored by the Sisters at the all-girls school to avoid Nazi influence on his young mind. Returning to Germany just before World War II, he attended a private school in Augsburg for first through fourth grade. This is where he learned to play the violin and began his lifelong love of music and singing.
He attended the Gymnasium of St. Stephan in Augsburg, Germany, a Benedictine school for grades five through ten. This part of his education was interrupted periodically by bombing necessitating a change in schools once again. Immediately following the end of the war, all the children were homeschooled by their uncle, Stephan Wickert.
On August 5th, 1949, Stephan sailed on the SS “Marine Tiger” from LeHavre, France to New York City. Together with his parents and eight siblings, Stephan immigrated to Rochester, New York. There are many relatives still living in the Rochester area. In September 1949 he entered Aquinas Institute, an all-boys Catholic High school, where he graduated third in his class of 340 students. While attending high school, Stephan and his siblings all maintained paper routes and worked after school in their father’s machine shop to assist in supporting the family.
Stephan entered the University of Rochester in September 1951 with a full Scholarship. He graduated with honors in 1955 with dual bachelor’s Degrees in Chemistry and Physics. He earned a fellowship at the University of Rochester as an assistant instructor while he earned his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry in May of 1959. Stephan moved to Essex Junction, VT in September 1959 to teach Chemistry at St. Michael’s College in Colchester, VT.
It is while working at St. Michael’s that Stephan met the love of his life, Jane Bogue. They were introduced on a blind date to one another by a mutual friend in the Registrar’s Office at St. Michael’s. This friend convinced Jane to allow Stephan to teach her to ski. It was not very long after they began courting that Stephan proposed marriage to Jane halfway down the mountain on a ski excursion. They were married on August 27, 1960 and had many eventful years and thirteen children together.
Stephan was a Professor of Chemistry at St. Michael’s for forty years when he retired in 1999. Dr. Kellner was very influential in the education of generations of St. Michael’s students. He was known as a professor that expected his students to learn, not as an easy class. As a professor, he would occasionally invite “orphan” college athletes, students that could not go home over Thanksgiving break due to games during the holiday, home for dinner. He was also very diligent to ensure that he was always available during office hours to any student that needed a bit of extra help learning the material from one of his many classes.
After retirement Stephan wanted to contribute to the community, so he got a license to drive a school bus. He drove a bus for Special needs students for five years before he retired for good. He enjoyed many hobbies including sailing with Jane, camping at Lake Elmore State Park and in Maine, traveling to visit family and friends, glass blowing and especially his gardens. In recent years, his garden has been used to provide fresh vegetables to the food pantry in Cambridge, VT as well as for family members.
Stephan was an active member of St. Thomas Church for sixty years. As a member of the congregation, he served many roles. He was a Eucharistic Minister, a Lector, an educator in the Catechism Program, and a Music Minister. Many a Christmas Eve would find him singing in the choir for Midnight Mass. Stephan was a faithful, devout Catholic all his life and his family takes comfort knowing that he is now reunited with Jane, his beloved wife.
Stephan is predeceased by his parents Hugo and Maria M (Wickert) Kellner, wife, Jane Bogue Kellner, and sons, Michael and Bernard, of Underhill, VT; Sister, Sr. Magdalena Kellner, SSJ of Rochester, NY and Brother, Dr. Thomas Kellner, DDS. of Phoenix, MD and Thedor Kellner of Friedberg, Germany. He is survived by 11 children, Paul Kellner and wife, Karen, of Jeffersonville, Mark Kellner of Bakersfield, Ted Kellner and wife, Denise, of East Fairfield, Mary Jane Kreps and husband, Matthew, of Borup, MN., Elizabeth Machia and husband, David, of Waterville, Margaret Gardner and husband, Brett, of Coatesville, PA, Monica Kellner and partner, Michael Trepanier, of Colchester, Christine Morse and husband Bill of Graniteville , Christopher Kellner, Julie Kellner, and John Kellner and wife, Christen, all of Underhill; 23 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and many foster children over the years; Sisters Sr. Maria Kellner, SSJ, and Maria Bors of Rochester, NY, Agnes Gebauer of Fairport, NY, and Brothers Norbert Kellner of Frisco, TX, Benedikt Kellner of Wappingers Falls, NY, and Fr. Winfried Kellner, of Rochester, NY.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday July 31st at 10:00 am at St. Thomas Church, Underhill, VT followed by a burial service at Pleasant Valley Cemetery on Dean Road in Underhill. Reception to follow at St. Thomas Church. Arrangements by A. W. Rich Funeral Home of Fairfax, VT. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to UVM Home Health and Hospice.