Covenant pastor John Vogel died March 29, 2026, after a brief battle with cancer in Kansas City, Kansas. He was 67.
John Vernon Vogel was born June 7, 1958, to parents Richard and Carol “Jeannine” (Colwell) Vogel in Seattle, Washington. His father was a preacher and enjoyed singing bass in southern gospel quartets, which would later shape John’s life. John graduated in 1976 from Bemidji High School in Minnesota.
On June 9, 1979, John married Deanna “Annie” Lind in Brainerd, Minnesota. She stood beside him as they built a life centered on faith, family, and hard work. They had three sons, Eric, Scott, and Brian.
In 1981, John and Annie moved to Kansas to start their family on his grandparents’ homestead. They homeschooled their children, instilling in them a sense of independence and encouraging each of them to grow into their own person. Outside of his professional life, John enjoyed raising cattle and improving the land, and he was passionate about leaving everything better than when he found it.
John possessed an entrepreneurial spirit and started several businesses throughout his life, most notably as co-founder and president of KwiKom Communications, where he applied his self-taught knowledge to help build and grow the company.
He went on to start three more businesses, creating a legacy for his children and grandchildren. Self-employment suited him well. As his wife often said, he liked being the boss. As technology evolved, John remained committed to staying current and keeping up to date with cutting-edge advancements.
John served as a licensed bivocational pastor at the Evangelical Covenant Church of Savonburg, Kansas. Preaching kept him growing in his faith and gave him a meaningful way to share it with others. His main desire was for all people to know the Lord and believe in his word.
John found enjoyment in simple routines. One of his latest hobbies was following Not the Bee and the Babylon Bee and being the first to comment early in the morning. John’s perspective on life was clear and steady. If given two sheets of paper, one for blessings and one for troubles, his list of blessings would begin with his grandchildren and quickly fill page after page. His list of troubles would be short.
John was preceded in death by his father and two preborn grandchildren. He is survived by his mother, Carol “Jeannine” Vogel; his wife, Deanna “Annie” Vogel; three sons, Eric Vogel (Courtney), Scott Vogel (Elizabeth), and Brian Vogel (Elizabeth); and his daughter-in-love, Laura Wray. He is also survived by his siblings, Kathy Duerst, Steve Vogel (Mary), Carol Bochler (Bryan), and Kristi Stibral (Chuck); as well as 16 grandchildren.
A celebration of life was held on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at the Evangelical Covenant Church of Savonburg. Memorial gifts may be made to Gideon Bible Society or left in the care of Feuerborn Family Funeral Service. Condolences may be left online here.
Peace be to his memory.
