David Leon Kauk

David Leon Kauk was born in Clinton, Oklahoma on January 18, 1960 at 1:00 in the morning in the middle of an ice storm. He passed from this life on May 15, 2026 at 10:37 am in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. In his teens he made a profession of faith and was baptized at Olustee First Baptist Church. After David graduated from Warner High School in 1978, he went to work in the coal mines in eastern Oklahoma with his dad. A year later he married Angela Phillips and they moved from Oklahoma to Gillette, Wyoming where their first daughter Amy Elenna was born. They later returned to Oklahoma where he worked driving heavy equipment with a road construction crew. He continued to work in road construction in Oklahoma where a second daughter, Amanda Lynne was born shortly before the oil boom hit in the 1990’s. Then he strapped his guitar to his back and rode his motorcycle to North Dakota to work in the oil field.

David loved music and although he had only a few lessons, he was an excellent guitar player and singer. Through the years he collected quite a few guitars and never met a guitar that he didn’t like.

Aside from guitars, he liked working on old cars. At age 13 his Uncle Larry gave him a ‘55 Chevy with the motor and the transmission in the trunk. In just three weeks he had it running and on the road. Fortunately, it didn’t run very long at a time because the drive shaft kept falling out. He worked on it more than he drove it.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Lee and Doris(Steiger) Kauk, Jack and Mildred (Campbell) Harrison; his uncles Larry Kauk, Jimmy Harrison, Billy Ray Harrison, Kenneth Harrison, Freddy Harrison, and Jody Harrison; aunts Marilyn (Kauk) Thurman, Mary (Harrison) Rice, Margaret (Harrison) English; cousin Ricky Clem; father Jimmy Lee Kauk.

He is survived by his loving partner of several years, Deena Kusler; mother LaVonne (Harrison) Kauk; daughters Amy (Kauk) Swimmer, Amanda (Kauk) Jackson and husband Dylan; grandchildren Breonna Tallman, Merci Swimmer, Memphis Swimmer, Harper Jackson, Barrett Jackson, Maverick Jackson, Rowan Tallman, Remy Jo Tallman, River Tallman; sister Paula (Kauk) Hiseley and husband Pete, Brian Kauk and wife Caryon; aunt Linda (Kauk) Johnson; uncle Randy Kauk; and several nieces and nephews.