Kevin L. Pfannenstiel

Kevin Pfannenstiel Obituary

Kevin L. Pfannenstiel, 51, of Gladstone, MO, passed away Monday August 7, 2006 at North Kansas City Hospital. A Memorial Service will be 7 PM Friday, August 11th at McGilley Antioch Chapel with a visitation from 6-7 PM prior to the service. Kevin graduated from UMKC School of Music with a Performance Art Major in Bassoon. Throughout his professional career he was employed in Musical Instrument Repair, working the past eight years at the Integrated Arts Resource Center in Kansas City, KS. Kevin also performed with many musical groups in the Kansas City area as well as Topeka, Wichita and Hutchinson, Kansas and was a member of the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada. He was considered the premier technician for all professional woodwind instruments. Kevin enjoyed tennis and he and his daughter, Ellen, were active in the tennis program provided by Gladstone Park and Recreation. He will be greatly missed by his daughter, Ellen C. Pfannenstiel, of Wichita, KS, his parents, Marvin and Ardis Pfannenstiel, of Gladstone, MO, two sisters, Brenda Pfannenstiel, of Gladstone, MO, Maureen Mundorff of Henderson, NV, a nephew, Eric Mundorff, of Phoenix, AZ and a host of friends and relatives. (Arr.'s: McGilley Antioch Chapel, 816-453-7700)

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Published by Kansas City Star on Aug. 9, 2006.

Memories and Condolences
for Kevin Pfannenstiel

8 Entries

Ellen Pfannenstiel

July 16, 2025

Still miss you every day, dad...

Nancy Grove

October 3, 2006

Dear Family,

I am so sorry to hear of your loss. I met Kevin when I aquired a bass clarinet that needed repaired. He did a wonderful job fixing it up. One time, on a whim, I even asked him about my son's trombone and he fixed it too. He was a man of many talents. I enjoyed his quiet and gentle nature.

Bradley Malcom Day

August 21, 2006

Dear Family:

I will dearly miss Kevin's low-key manner and quiet, dry sense of humor. Especially the way he sat there on a couch, not much saying anything. Contemplating. Then saying something that cut right to the bone of the conversation with wit.

Lisa Cambridge

August 15, 2006

Dear Pfannenstiel Family,

I met Kevin for the first and only time this past spring. My son's oboe needed repair and luck brought us to Kevin. As others have described on this guestbook, he not only repaired what we initially came in for but far more. The instrument was in better shape than when originally purchased. He went above and beyond. He had such a kind, gentle manner and wonderful sense of humor. I am so saddened to hear of his passing and so sorry for your loss.

Mary Ann Pavlu

August 11, 2006

I'am a cousin of Marvin. My Dad Martin Stoecklein & his Mother Agath Pfannenstiel where sister & brother. Sorry to here of your loss. I know what this does to you. I lost my husband of 49 yrs in March of 05.

Mary Ann (Stoecklein) Pavlu

Nancy Clark

August 10, 2006

To Kevin's family,

I am a friend of Kevin's through music - we played woodwind quintets just one month ago with other members of the Overland Park Orchestra. He is one of the main reasons I went back to playing with that group, because I knew we would have a solid, reliable intonation center if he was there. He was also my flute repairman, and would find and fix problems that I had just adapted to and didn't even know could be fixed. Besides his accomplishments, he was a truly fine person with a great sense of humor. There is a great big hole now in our musical community. Know that a lot of people cared a lot for Kevin, and we share your sorrow.

John Parrette

August 9, 2006

To Kevin's Family and many friends,

It is with deep sympathy that I enter my thoughts and prayers to Kevin's family. Please accept my most sincere condolences.

I worked with Kevin at USD 500 in Kansas City, Kansas for four of the eight years of his employment with the music department. As a woodwind specialist I was more than aware of Kevin's value to the school district. He restored my aging bass clarinet to mint condition, adding his masterful touch to the fine details of an otherwise complex job. He worked what seemed like miracles to otherwise unrepairable overused student instruments owned by the schhol music department.

We spent many hours discussing musical experiences and laughing at those times when performances took on unusual situations. He loved his work and left a legacy as did Bruce McLane, his predecessor at USD 500.

I last visited with Kevin at the home of a mutual friend, while on a trip to Kansas City in 2005. The adjustment to his loss will be felt by his family and many friends.

Claudia Risebig

August 9, 2006

To Kevin's family,

I was so sorry to hear about Kevin. The news is still unbelievable to me. Finding the right words is very difficult, but my prayers and heartfelt thoughts are with his family, work associates, and the many friends.

I have fond memories of Kevin, as a close friend, musician, and a master instrument repairman. He knew his business well and I, like many musicians, will seriously miss his expertise. He brought many smiles to me. Whenever he worked on my instrument, he was diligent until that instrument was fixed. One episode comes to mind when my bassoon had an undetermined vibration. He worked and worked and did everything he knew to stop that vibration. We even thought of new jokes about it. Since Kevin valued the customer's complaint, he acknowledged the vibration in the instrument even though he couldn't make it vibrate himself. After many possible fixes, he tried one more solution, and it worked! He loved working until he got it right.

Special thoughts & prayers to his parents Ardis & Marvin and Ellen his daughter, whom I am so very fond of.

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