Obituary of David Laurence Kachel

Whitewater � David Laurence Kachel, 83, died on February 3, 2011 at University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison after a brief illness. David was born in Whitewater, WI on October 19, 1927 to Laurence and Jessie (Waite) Kachel at the Mary Sweet Hospital in Whitewater. An iconic entrepreneur in Whitewater�s long history, he will be profoundly missed. Attending Whitewater State Teacher�s College Laboratory School from kindergarten through eighth grade, David proudly graduated from the College High School and Whitewater State Teacher�s College. He met his beloved Lolita Matson while she was attending Whitewater State Teacher�s College. They married shortly after graduation on August 27, 1950. After his honorable discharge from the U.S. Army Signal Corps, David returned to Whitewater to join his family�s business, the Wisconsin Dairy Supply Company which was founded in 1883 and is still family-operated today thanks to his efforts. Always referring to himself as �a small downtown businessman,� David founded DLK Enterprises in 1957, beginning with the landmark Hawk Bowl in 1959. He was President, Board Chairman, and principal shareholder of the Commercial Bank beginning in 1971, and maintained real estate holdings serving every demographic his cherished Whitewater had to offer. He was a member of Governor Tommy Thompson�s Business Task Force in the 1990s. Championing community involvement, David was constantly active with the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, the Whitewater Unified School District, the Whitewater Fire and Rescue, the First United Methodist Church, and the Whitewater Food Pantry. David was a 32nd Degree Mason at St. John�s Lodge #57, a Zor Shriner, a member of the Eastern Star, the Whitewater American Legion Post 173, and the Whitewater Community Development Authority. He established multiple scholarship programs for Whitewater High School graduates attending UW-Whitewater, as well as UW-W students serving as emergency medical technicians for the community. His devotion to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater knew no bounds. For decades he was a member of the UW-W Quarterback and Tip-Off Clubs, the UW-W College of Business & Economics Advisory Council, and the UW-W Athletic Hall of Fame Board. David and Lolita were awarded the UW-Whitewater Athletic Hall of Fame Distinguished Service Award in 1998. David, proud of his conservative family values, is survived by his wife Lolita (Matson), his children Linda (David Katz) of Sherman Oaks, CA, Jon (Terri), David (Trisha), Laurence (Karen), Kerri (Jeff McDonald), Michael (Sonia), all of Whitewater, Tom (Jennifer) of Madison, WI, and his grandchildren Andrew, David Jon, Kaili, Samantha, Kristyn, David Maxwell, Emilie, Madeline, Molly, and Emery. David was preceded in death by his parents Laurence and Jessie Kachel, and cousin John Keith Draeger, who was like a brother to him. The First United Methodist Church will hold funeral services Wednesday, February 9 at 1:00 p.m. with visitation from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Whitewater Food Pantry, the First United Methodist Church of Whitewater, or the UW-Whitewater Foundation. The Nitardy Funeral Home, Whitewater is assisting the family, www.nitardyfuneralhome.com