EARLVILLE - Kenneth L. Stockley, 94, of Earlville passed away Dec. 10, 2021 at Heritage Health in Mendota.

Funeral services will be held at noon on Saturday, Dec. 18 at Earlville United Methodist Church, 313 Stilson St., Earlville with Pastor Sandy Smith officiating. Burial will follow at Precinct Cemetery, rural Earlville. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until the service at noon on Saturday at the church.

Ken was born June 3, 1927 in Sandwich to Wilbur and Frances (Whittaker) Stockley. He married Donna L. Porter on Aug. 10, 1952 in Knoxville, Iowa.

Survivors include his wife; one son, Douglas L. Stockley of Earlville; one daughter, Debra Chatman of Yorkville; two grandchildren, Christine Chatman and Ryan (Jamie) Chatman; two great-grandchildren, Sidney and Oliver Chatman; one brother, Dale Stockley of Earlville; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by one sister, Mary Stockley Kennedy; two brothers, James in infancy and Roger Stockley; and one son-in-law, Sidney Chatman.

Ken attended Dinsmore Country Grade School north of Earlville for eight years and graduated from Earlville Community High School in 1945. He was known by many for his love of flying. He recently told his grandchildren he wished he would have gotten his pilot’s license when he was 14 instead of 16 years of age. He bought his first plane at age 16 and sold it a few years later to pay for college. He graduated from Iowa State University in 1951. He was a member of Earlville United Methodist Church and the Methodist Men’s Club and served on the United Methodist Foundation. He served his country in the U.S. Army Medical Service Corp during the Korean War. He was a past president of the Earlville Lions Club, the Earlville School District #9 Board, served on the LaSalle County Board, the Earlville Library Board, and the Board of Review for LaSalle County. He was a member of the Mendota Elks Lodge and the LaSalle County Farm Bureau. He was also a Past Master of Freedom Masonic Lodge, Scottish Rite Consistory, Mohammed Temple Shrine in Peoria. His first job after college was working for the U of I Extension Service as a farm advisor, then he farmed in the Earlville area for 60 years. Most of all he loved spending time with his family.

Memorials may be directed to Earlville United Methodist Church. For more information or to sign the online guest book, please go to www.EighnerFuneralHomes.com.