Michael Wallace Stephen Kellner was born September 11, 1951 in Los Angeles, the youngest of five children born to Norine Kellner. His father, Isador Kellner, died before Michael was born. He moved to Idyllwild in 1954, attending Idyllwild Elementary and Hemet High schools. He graduated from Hemet High in 1969.
He was with Kathy Gorzny from 1969 to 1978. They had a son, Trinity, in 1971 and a daughter, Angela, in 1974.
Michael was married to Nancy Calhoun from 1980 to 1998, when she was killed in an auto accident. They had two children: Miguel, born in 1983, and Chelsea, born in 1987. Michael also lived in Bakersfield, Cathedral City, Hawaii, Hayfork, Hemet, Lancaster, Moreno Valley, Oregon, Palm Desert, Peanut and San Juan Capistrano. He was a chef at a number of restaurants, including The Chef in the Forest, Baker in the Forest, Koffee Kup, Tam O’Shanter and the Red Water Cafe. He worked as a logger, skidder operator and truck mechanic, and a landscaper. Michael also worked as a liaison between the EPA and the Morongo and Cahuilla Indians. He recently worked for the Fire Safe Council and at Sub Rosa Apothecary in Idyllwild. Michael is survived by a sister, four children, six grandchildren, a great-grandson, nieces, nephews and cousins.
A celebration of life will be held at St. Hugh’s Episcopal Church located at 25525 Tahquitz Dr. at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 13. Guests are encouraged to bring a potluck dish to share and a musical instrument, if desired. In lieu of flowers, there will be a donation basket at the event.
