Patrick A "Pat" Kayl, 71, of Grand Island, NE, died at CHI Health St. Francis Medical Center, on Monday, December 4, 2017 with family at his side. Mass of Christian burial will be Saturday, December 9, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church. The Rev. Martin L. Egging will celebrate the funeral mass. Burial will be in the South Creek Cemetery, in Ponca, NE, on Tuesday, December 12, 2017, with a 11:30 a.m. committal service. Visitation will be Thursday, December 7, 2017, from 4 – 6 p.m. at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church with a vigil service at 6 p.m. In lieu of flowers memorials are suggested to Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church or Grand Island Central Catholic. Curran Funeral Chapel is assisting the family. Pat was born February 6, 1946, in Sioux City, Iowa. He was the son of Ray and Dorothy (Bennett) Kayl. Survivors of his immediate family include his wife of 47 years, Julie Kayl of Grand Island, NE Son, John and his wife Darcy of Ft. Leavenworth, KS and their three children Balen, Ava, Edwin Daughter, Andrea Kayl of Las Vegas, NV Sisters, Donna Lund of Ponca, NE Carol (Jack) Rahn of Palmyra, MO Sister-in-law, Geri Kayl of Ponca, NE, and many beloved nieces and nephews. Pat grew up on a farm near Ponca, NE and graduated in 1964 from Sacred Heart in Emerson, NE. He continued his education at Kearney State College where he graduated in 1970 with a major in Physics. He married Julie Katen at the Newman Center at Kearney State College his senior year. He taught at Grand Island Central Catholic from 1970 until 2011. Pat was a farmer and teacher to his core. He spent his youth tilling the fields of eastern Nebraska on the family farm and the first seventeen summers of his marriage roving the expansive prairie of the west on his in-laws' ranch on Cottonwood Creek outside of Hemingford, NE. Through his experience and wisdom, he touched the lives of many and will be greatly missed by everyone he knew. Pat strove to instill his love of science in his students. He taught them many life lessons including the most efficient way to clean chalkboard erasers was off the heads of inattentive students. With his plethora of impassioned maxims, he helped his students realize that blood really was the best utility knife lubricant and TANSTAAFL. Pat was a member of Blessed Sacrament and the Knights of Columbus. He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Eric; brothers, Armand, Gary, and Paul and wife Zona; sister, Mary Ann; nephew Darrel; and brother-in-law Larry Lund. Your thoughts and prayers may be given at www.curranfuneralchapel.com under Pat's obituary. Visitation

Thursday, December 7, 2017 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church 518 West State Street Grand Island, Nebraska 68801

Vigil service at 6 p.m.

Vigil Service

Thursday, December 7, 2017 6:00 PM

Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church 518 West State Street Grand Island, Nebraska 68801 Mass of Christian Burial

Saturday, December 9, 2017 10:00 AM

Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church 518 West State Street Grand Island, Nebraska 68801 Graveside Service

Tuesday, December 12, 2017 11:30 PM

South Creek Cemetery Ponca, NE