Joel Reid Kesler, 86, of Lenexa, KS, died peacefully at home on November 12, 2024. Born in Kansas City, Missouri he attended E.C. White Elementary School, Southwest High School, and Kansas State University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering degree.
Joel married the love of his life and high school sweetheart, Linda Ann Ehart, immediately after graduating from college. They enjoyed playing golf and sitting on their screened porch while taking in the forest surrounding their second home in Bella Vista, AR. In retirement, Joel was an avid golfer, club maker, and woodworker. He loved hosting family and friends and enjoyed activities and friendships at Nall Hills Country Club over the many years. Joel was Linda’s caregiver when she lost her kidneys in 2003 until she received a transplant in 2004 and again for many years when Linda developed Alzheimer’s. His experience volunteering with Kansas City Hospice helped him manage those challenging times. Joel and Linda were married 59 1/2 years, until her death in 2019.
Joel was a member of Lakeview Village Chapel. He previously belonged to Blue Valley Christian Church and was a longtime member of Country Club Congregational United Church of Christ, serving in multiple leadership and financial roles. Joel believed strongly in serving the community, which he did by delivering Meals on Wheels, serving meals at Holy Family House, and volunteering for a decade with Kansas City Hospice, providing respite care for caregivers.
Joel was a member of the Delta Tau Delta social fraternity at KSU. He was a proud Eagle Scout from Troop 24 in Kansas City and a Warrior in the Tribe of Mic-o-Say.
After graduation, Joel worked for Black and Veatch for 37 years, becoming a partner in 1985 and rising to Senior Partner before retiring. At Black & Veatch he was responsible for design and construction projects at many U.S. nuclear plants and various Department of Defense facilities. Joel believed that the modernization of weapons manufacturing factored in the ultimate demise of the Soviet Union and was pleased to have played a part. He later led U.S. design activities for Fissile Material Storage Facilities in Russia, a project which he felt was the most important of his career. As part of that project, Joel and Linda entertained Russian engineers in their home, noting how strange it was to work with people who a short time before had been perceived as enemies. Earlier in Joel’s career, he led the design of the electrical power generation and transmission system for the entire Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, a very challenging environment for electrical work. He also designed numerous electrical power facilities in the U.S. and was proud to have served on teams bringing electricity to underserved regions.
Joel was a licensed Professional Engineer in Missouri, Kansas, and five other states. He was a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers, the Missouri Society of Professional Engineers, the Society of Military Engineers, the Institute of Nuclear Material Management, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), for whom he served in leadership and innovative roles.
Joel is survived by three children, Joel W. Kesler of Overland Park and his wife Karen, Laura J. Cooper of Leawood and her husband Craig, and Michael A. Kesler of Lee’s Summit and his wife Erin, a sister Judith L. Scott of Maple Valley, WA and her husband Phil, and seven grandchildren. A celebration of Joel’s life will be held in the Southridge building of Lakeview Village, 14001 W. 92nd Street in Lenexa on Saturday November 23 at 3:00 pm.In lieu of flowers, please direct gifts of remembrance to the Lakeview Village Foundation, 9100 Park Street, Lenexa, KS 66215.