Kevin Ray Eshleman

Kevin was born on May 15, 1979 in Kansas City, Kansas. He was the son of Edward Eshleman and Vicki (Giersch) Eshleman. He attended Blue Mills Elementary, graduated from Fort Osage High School, and majored in commercial art at Central Missouri State University.

Kevin loved music and helped run the New Earth music venue from 1998 to 2005. He was also passionate about people, and his work with both made him a cherished member of the Kansas City music scene. Kevin was also known throughout Kansas City for his web development skills, working in the advertising industry and most recently at MySidewalk. Kevin’s love for people was evident at work, where he was passionate about design and creating web applications accessible to all, but especially to people with disabilities.

Kevin had a profound impact on the lives of those he met, and will be greatly missed. He cared about how people felt, and was consistently drawn to those who were alone or marginalized. Everyone who knew Kevin, even if only briefly or from a distance, can attest to this. He was well known for his openness, generosity, and kindness. Kevin was a loving father to his children and took great pride in his family.

He was preceded in death by his father-in-law, Cecil E. Barker; his paternal grandparents, Marshall Eshleman and Nora May (Andersen) Eshleman; and his maternal grandfather, Verlin Giersch.

Kevin is survived by his wife, Malynda (Barker) Eshleman, and his children, Ramona and Miles; his parents, Ed and Vicki Eshleman of Independence, MO; brother, Kyle of Independence, MO; his grandmother, Dorothy (Black) Giersch of Basehor, KS; and aunts, uncles, numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

A celebration of Kevin’s life will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, November 2, 2019 at Jacob’s Well Church, 1617 W 42nd Street, Kansas City, MO. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to relieve the family’s financial burden at https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-malynda-miles-and-ramona​.