Kevin Thomas Joseph Kargel of Willow Springs, MO passed away on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021 at the Ozarks Medical Center in West Plains, MO from complications of Covid induced pneumonia at the age of 76 years and 8 months. He was born on Dec. 21, 1944 in St. Paul, MN the son of Clarence and Delphine (Dannecker) Kargel.
As a boy, his family moved to a farm near Lester Prairie, MN where in 1963 he graduated from Holy Trinity High School in Winstead, MN. He and his family moved to Michigan in 1965 where he was drafted into the US Army; serving from 1965 to 1967 in Okinawa during the Vietnam War.
Kevin had met his future wife, Sally Luella Angela Ristow in 1965 and they were married on April 20, 1968 in Chaka, MN. They spent one year in Glencoe, MN where he was a mechanic at Johnson Motors. In August 1969, they moved to Chelsea/Grass Lake, MI where he was a mechanic at Sprague Buick and Olds. In September 1977, Kevin moved his family to Willow Springs, MO where he was once again a mechanic at Coats Ford in Cabool, James Motors in Willow Springs and Morgan-Shell Ford in West Plains. In 1994 he opened his own mechanic shop, Kargel Auto Repair in West Plains and remained until retirement in 2010.
Kevin had spent many years attending antique tractor pulls and tractor shows, first with his sons then with his grandson, Joseph Adrian. He had won many first places with his Cockshutt and with his most recent, colorful Oliver.
Kevin was preceded in death by his grandsons, Jeremiah Matthew Kargel and Trapper Mann; his parents, Clarence and Delphine Kargel; two sisters, Karlene Deters and Krista Kargel and a nephew, Andrew Kargel. He is survived by his wife, Sally L. Kargel of the home; twelve children, Rebecca Cotton, Ryan (Julie) and Russell (Donna) Kargel, Rachelle (Robert) Jernigan, Raphael (Cherish), Roderic (Angela) and Romuald (Catherine) Kargel, Rita (Brian) Tastad, Renee (Josh) Mann, Rufina Eddy, Randolph (Kathleen) and Robin Kargel; grandchildren, Alex, Zach and Mira Cotton, Thaddeus, Agnes, Aleydis, Tobias, Alexis, Thomas and Anna Kargel, Mary, Michael, Majella, Marcellino, Mark, Miriam and Maximilian Kargel, Julia (Russell) Beltz, Gabrielle, Robert August, Joseph Adrian, Alaina and Olivia Jernigan, Isabelle, Clarabelle, Maggie, Gracie and Ayla Kargel, Anselm, Cyprian, Demetrius, Octavius and Fabian Kargel, Felix Sloniker Kargel, Ashtian, Quincy, Zayne and Felicity Mann, Dominic, Shawn Eddy and Xander, Philomena, Sebastian, Callistus and Gwendolyn Kargel; great granddaughters, Jazmine, Allison and Amelia Beltz.
Kevin is also survived by his sisters and brothers, Karen (Jerry) Callinan, Kenneth (Gigi) Kargel, Konnie (Ken) Kalmbach, Kerry (Glenna) Kargel, Karsten (Vicki) Kargel, Keith Kargel, Kent (Laurie) Kargel, Kurt (Sarah) Kargel and Kateri (Danny) Patterson; as well as many nephews, nieces and cousins.
