Carl Kieslich

Longtime Grand Lake resident and business owner, Carl Richard Kieslich, 88, passed away at the Hillcrest Medical Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on February 26, 2022. Carl was born June 27, 1933, in Joplin, Missouri, to Carl and Birdie (Davis) Kieslich. He graduated from Joplin High School and on February 23, 1952, married the love of his life, Marlene Perry of Carl Junction, Missouri. They lived and worked in the Joplin area until he was drafted into the United States Army in 1953. Carl served eighteen months in occupied Germany and returned home after his service in 1955. He worked in Joplin until 1969 when he moved his family to California where he worked for Grumman Aerospace as a Quality Control Rep. In 1978 Carl returned to Ketchum, Oklahoma and developed Willow Park Marina. He and Marlene retired in 1997 and built their dream log cabin home on Cabin Creek in Vinita, Oklahoma and enjoyed fishing, and traveling in their RV throughout America. Carl loved to make his grandkids laugh, take them fishing, and playing bluegrass music on a guitar that he taught himself to play, when he was twelve years old. He also loved to cook barbecue ribs that are famous with his family. Carl was a kind loving man that loved his family and will be missed by all who knew him.

Preceding Mr. Kieslich in death are his parents, Carl and Birdie Kieslich; wife, Marlene; brother Charles “Chuck” Kieslich; and a sister Betty Jean Starchman.

Survivors include his children, Dayna Gregg of Austin, Texas, Kathy Antisdale, of Issaquah, Washington, Carl Damon Kieslich of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Scott Kieslich of Vinita; nine grandchildren; eighteen great grandchildren; a sister Mary Catherine Kekac; many other relatives and a host of friends.

Graveside services for Carl Kieslich will be held 1 p.m. Thursday, March 3, 2022, at The Military Cemetery in Pensacola, Oklahoma. Online condolences may be left at www.honoringmemories.com or see our Facebook page. Services are under the direction of Luginbuel Funeral Home of Vinita.