Gordon ‘Gordie’ Kissel

February 25, 1950 - March 20, 2025

Gordon Kissel passed away on March 20, 2025 after a long battle with Parkinson's Disease. Born February 25, 1950 to Dean and Donnice (Ebert) Kissel, Gordon went on to graduate from Southeast High School in 1968. He met his wife of 53 years JoAnne (Gake) when he was her Young Life leader, and they married in 1972. After earning his Masters in Education from UNL, he taught Junior High English at Lincoln Public Schools for several years. In 1973, Gordon and JoAnne moved to Princeton, NJ while Gordon attended Princeton Theological Seminary. As he would say, he and God came to the mutual conclusion that a "calling" to the ministry was not forthcoming, so they moved back to Nebraska to resume his teaching career while JoAnne finished her degree in Art History.

Gordon went on to complete a Masters in Political Science at UNL, where he specialized in Water Policy and would later become the Executive Director of the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts until 1994. He then started his own lobbying firm, Kissel E&S LLC (Today the firm continues as Kissel, Kohout, ES Associates) where he was Managing Partner until he retired. In his professional life, Gordon revered the Nebraska Unicameral, and found his footing in the legislative scene by forming authentic relationships and advocating on behalf of his clients by being straightforward and telling it like it is.

Gordon (Gordy to his golf friends, or "Gordy P for Popular") was a lifelong golfer, and a true kid at heart. On the golf course, he could be found hitting balls, practicing his putting, or playing eighteen holes, initially at Firethorn and later at the Country Club of Lincoln. He founded the annual Lincoln Ryder Cup tournament with good friend Bob Roth, who would later become his oldest daughter's father-in-law. In 2002, he was invited to participate in the annual Keepers of the Green tournament at the Old Course at Saint Andrews in Scotland.

As a dad, Gordon was a mischievously snarky and tender-hearted guy. He was devoted to making sure his two daughters, Alex and Meg, kept access to their childlike wonder, even as they grew into adults: Christmas mornings were cherished; trips to Disney World were taken despite his hatred of travel and flying; and he instilled in them the belief that they could be and do anything. He relished taking his daughters on many east coast college campus tours and ended up the proud father of two graduates of Smith College in Northampton, MA.

He is survived by his wife, JoAnne; his daughters Alexandra and Meg; and son Oscar.

Gordon's memorial service took place on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Lincoln.

Gordie will be deeply missed by all who had the opportunity to know him.