Born in Reading, PA, on April 26, 1952, he was a son of the late Joseph and Cecilia (Zielomski) Kohut. He was also preceded in death by his siblings, Charlotte Ash, Joseph Kohut Jr., and Geraldine (Kohut) Auton.
Fr. David attended St. Mary's Elementary School and Reading Central Catholic High School. Answering God's call to religious life, he entered the Order of Friars Minor in 1974 and made his first profession on May 31, 1975, in Oldenburg, Indiana. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 2, 1979, beginning a faithful ministry that would span more than four decades.
Throughout his years as a Franciscan friar and priest, Fr. David served in educational, spiritual, leadership, and parish ministries. In 2007, he moved to St. Clare Friary in Cincinnati, where he helped guide community life. In 2013, he was appointed pastor of St. Francis Seraph Church in Cincinnati, serving the parish faithfully until 2020.
Above all, Fr. David cherished his vocation as a priest. He considered it both a privilege and a sacred responsibility to walk alongside others in their faith journeys. Whether proclaiming the Gospel through thoughtful and inspiring homilies, celebrating the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, baptizing children into the Church, witnessing the vows of marriage, or offering comfort during life's most difficult moments, he ministered with compassion, humility, and unwavering devotion. His priesthood was not merely a role he fulfilled but the very heart of who he was.
Fr. David was also blessed with a powerful and beautiful singing voice. He was known for filling a church with song without the aid of a microphone, lifting hearts in prayer through sacred music. Whenever he returned to his home parish of St. Mary's in Reading, fellow priests and parishioners eagerly anticipated hearing him sing. Among his Franciscan brothers, he was equally known for his warm hospitality and culinary talents, especially his delicious homemade soups, which brought people together around the table in true Franciscan spirit.
Fr. David is survived by his Franciscan brothers of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe; four nieces, Amanda (Auton) Sallada, Christina Auton Colon, Cynthia Messner, and Michelle Milczanowski; one nephew, Thomas Ash Jr.; several great-nieces and great-nephews; and his great-aunt, Teresa Zielomski.
A viewing will be held on Saturday, June 27, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, 250 S. 12th St., Reading, PA 19602. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m., with Monsignor Donald Cieniewicz officiating. Interment will immediately follow at St. Mary's Cemetery, 679–699 Upland Avenue, Reading, PA 19607.
Auman's Inc. Funeral Home is honored to serve the family.
