John D. Gagel

John David Gagel passed away unexpectedly on October 14, 2024, at the age of 57. John was born on November 7, 1966, in Louisville, Kentucky to Joseph Donald and Karen Louise (Tilley) Gagel. John is survived by his mother Karen, brothers Steve and Andrew (Raimonda), and a large extended family.
He was married to his wife Tamara Eden Laks on November 20, 1988, and they would have soon celebrated their 36th wedding anniversary. John is also survived by Tamara and their 6 children: Shelby (Lukas) Downey, Taylor (Conner) Hurst, Ryan (Kate) Gagel, Jared (Reagan) Gagel, Riley, and Beau. He deeply cherished Tamara and loved each of their six children, as well as their spouses.
John had many passions in his life, and one of these was his career. He was a treasured employee at Lexmark for 25 years as Global Chief Sustainability Officer and was also part of the Board of Governors for the Manufacturing Council. John was highly regarded in his field and truly enjoyed spending time with his large work family.
John treasured spending time in nature and knew many facts about trees and plants that he enjoyed sharing. He reveled in completing yard projects with the whole family and had recently discovered an enthusiasm for woodworking. John also loved University of Kentucky sports and tailgating with his whole family at football games.
The most important part of John's life was his relationship with Jehovah God. John was baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses on April 20, 1985. He had strong faith in the Bible's message and volunteered his time as a minister to share it with as many people as possible. Through the years, he also served as an elder in the congregation and on various disaster relief and construction projects. One of John's favorite scriptures was Isaiah 41:10, 13. He often expressed that he always felt that Jehovah was "fortifying" him and was "grasping his right hand."
John had strong faith in God's future promises, one of which was the resurrection hope, knowing that he would see his own father Don again in the promised new world. We now share that same hope and confidence that we will be reunited with John in the future paradise. Until then we can gain comfort from knowing that John will remain forever safe in Jehovah God's memory.
John was well known for his warm friendly smile, compassion, and love for others. He set a beautiful example for all he knew. John was a loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend. There are no words to express how much he was loved, will always be loved, and the magnitude in which he will be missed.
Memorial services will be held on Sunday, October 20, 2024 at 6:00 PM at The Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses at 400 Kingston Road, Lexington, Kentucky, 40505. Visitation will be prior to the service from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, please consider planting a tree in John's memory. Kerr Brothers Funeral Home, 463 East Main Street, Lexington, Kentucky, 40507, is in care of all arrangements for John D. Gagel. Memorial Services for John will be lived streamed via Zoom. Zoom information: Meeting ID: 851 0772 2242 Password: 2134