Obituary

Kenneth George Burdell, affectionately known as Ken or Kenny, and by his favorite titles Dad and Papa, of Charleston, WV, passed away peacefully on Friday, April 25, 2025, after a hard-fought battle with dementia.

Ken was born on August 7, 1940, to the late Michael and Alyce Abby (Skaff) Burdell. He was born and raised in Charleston, WV, where he was a member of St. George Orthodox Cathedral.

Ken is survived by his wife of 58 years, Kathy (Summers) Burdell; daughter, Karen (Gary) Bebelaar of Louisville, KY; daughter, Kristy (Adam) Edstrom of Charleston, WV; daughter, Kendra (Jake) Bolen of Huntington, WV; grandchildren, Maxwell (Jessica) Bebelaar, Molly Jo (William Giesler) Bebelaar, Kara Edstrom, Ally Edstrom, Henry Bolen, and his beloved dog, Jersey.

Ken graduated from Stonewall Jackson High School in 1958. He was a proud alumni of The Ohio State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business. He was a member of the United States Army where he served as medic. He graduated from John Marshall Law School in Atlanta, GA. Ken started his career by working in the legal department at Bankers Security Insurance, which ultimately led him to a journey in the insurance and financial analysts’ industries. He ultimately retired from Wesbanco in 2018 as a Financial Advisor. He loved to recommend Apple stock to anyone who would listen.

Ken loved to watch sports. He owned many racing greyhounds and his favorite teams included the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Lions, and of course The Ohio State Buckeyes. Ken spent many hours working in his yard and enjoyed sitting on his deck listening to Frankie Valli once the work was complete.

Ken’s life was dedicated to his faith and family. He was an extremely generous man who laughed easy and would do anything for anyone. His beloved extended family includes cousins Andrea (Len) VanProoyen, JoAnn (Mike) Damuth, and godson Mark (Anne) Cassis, all of Grand Rapids, MI, as well as close friends who were like family.

The family wishes to express their heartfelt thanks and gratitude to his caretaker Hope Taylor, who loved and cared for him during his illness. The family would also like to thank the staff at SweetBriar Memory Care Unit and Hubbard Hospice House for the care and support they provided for Ken at the end of his illness.

Funeral service will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at St. George Antiochian Orthodox, 190 Court Street, Charleston, WV, with Rev. Fr. Alex Mackoul officiating. Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Park, South Charleston, WV.

Visitation will be held one and a half hours prior to the service at the cathedral.

The family requests in lieu of flowers, that donations be made to the St. George Orthodox Cathedral, P.O. Box 2044, Charleston, WV 25327 or Hubbard Hospice House.

Condolences may be sent to www.barlowbonsall.com.

Barlow Bonsall Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements.