David Allen Kadel was born on January 21, 1949, in Belleville, Kansas, and entered eternal rest on August 24, 2025, in Concordia, Kansas. Following the death of his birth parents, he and his three siblings were adopted in 1954 by Ivan and Alice (Jordan) Kadel.
He attended elementary school in Randall and Jamestown and graduated from Jewell High School with the class of 1967. After high school, David entered the U.S. Air Force, where he proudly served as a crew chief on fighter jets in Thailand and Germany. He was honorably discharged after 8 and a half years of service.
On November 11, 1972, he married Sherilyn Pankratz. To this union, two daughters were born: Jennifer Leah and Holly Rose. David and Sherilyn farmed together until her passing on February 16, 2014. He later met Jean (Burchard) Cox, and they were married on September 19, 2015. David and Jean retired from the farm and moved to Concordia in November 2024.
David was a lifetime member of the American Legion and the VFW, and a faithful member of Victory Faith Church in Concordia. He also enjoyed flying as a pilot, spending time with his dog Molly, and traveling to see new places around the world. These were among his greatest joys and brought him many lasting memories.
He is survived by his wife, Jean, of the home; his daughters, Jennifer (Jeff) Price of Arvada, Colorado, and Holly (John) Burleson of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and grandchildren Austin, Alexander, and Ashton Price, and Olivia Foster. He is also survived by Jean’s family, who lovingly considered him the best bonus dad and grandpa: Jennifer (Dustin) Gray, Nick Cox, Derek (Kristen) Trumpp, Erin Thomas-Baldwin, Bryce (Lindsey) Trumpp, and Chrissie (Thomas) Patry, along with their 13 children.
Other survivors include his brother, Bill (Lawana) of Haltom City, Texas; his sister, Teresa Kadel of Concordia, Kansas; sisters-in-law, Brenda Kadel of Great Bend, Kansas and Donna (Tim) Diener of Hillsboro, Kansas; and brother-in-law, Ken Pankratz of Durham, Kansas; and mother-in-law Marie Burchard of Abilene, Kansas. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Sherilyn, and his brother Tom Kadel.
The sparkle in his eye, his steady humor, and his generous spirit will be deeply missed.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, September 02, 2025, from 1-8 p.m. with the family receiving friends from 6-7 p.m. that evening all at the Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home, Concordia, Kansas.
Services will be held on Wednesday, September 03, 2025 at 1:00 p.m. at the Concordia Brown Grand Theatre, Concordia, Kansas with Pastor Rick Barrett officiating. The burial will follow the service at Loveseth Cemetery, Randall, Kansas.
The family suggests memorials to Victory Faith Church in care of Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home, PO Box 606, Concordia, KS 66901. For online condolences please visit www.chaputbuoy.com.