Dail Martin Wescott's Obituary
Dail Martin Wescott, 74, of Coyville, KS, left this world peacefully in his sleep at home on December 8, 2024.
Dail was born in Neodesha, KS on March 1, 1950, to George Wescott and Maxine Wescott (Brock).
Dail spent the first years of childhood North of Fredonia where the family lived in a small farmhouse. The family soon outgrew the little house and moved into Fredonia on 7th street. Dail attended Fredonia High School where he met the love of his life, Janice Coats. Dail graduated High School in 1968 and joined the National Guard. Soon after graduation, he attended boot camp in Fort Polk, Louisiana. He returned to Fredonia and attended the Drafting Trade School in Coffeyville, KS. Upon completion, Dail was hired as a Field Engineer with the State of KS.
Dail married Jan on July 3, 1970, and moved to Waverly, KS to be closer to his new job building a portion of the I-35 Highway. In 1973, their first son was born. Dail, being young and ambitious, took a chance on a position with a water well drilling rig in Superior Arizona. Dail packed everything that they owned into his anchero and made the 20-hour drive to Arizona with their new baby tucked safely behind the seat. Dail was not impressed with Arizona and later commented, “There is no reason in the world that any person should live there.” The family soon returned to Fredonia, KS where Dail soon took a job with Tom Tindle Construction building houses in the Fredonia / Neodesha area. In 1977, their second son was born.
After several years with Tindle Construction, Dail ventured out on his own creating his lifelong career as a self-employed contractor. In 1982, their third son was born. Dail raised his family on 3rd street in Fredonia, later moving them to a larger house across town on Jefferson Street. In 1994, He purchased 20 acres of land outside of Coyville. Dail, his wife and their three boys built their new house outside of Coyville where he resided until his death.
Dail was a hard-working man. Over his long career, Dail and his crews-built houses, additions and barns all over Southeast Kansas, traveling as far West as Hugoton in Western Kansas, and as far east as McCune Ks. The last few years of his career he worked mostly for Wescott Mechanical, a collaboration built by him and his sons. He spent his days building projects for customers and then returned home to continue working on his personal projects until dark or later. Dail was an avid fisherman. He knew every honey hole on Toronto Lake, Fall River Lake, and every creek, pond, and river in-between. Dail had several classic cars that he worked over. He rebuilt motors, did body work, and enjoyed hot rodding them all around Coyville. He enjoyed spending time with his friends and family in his shop. One of his last creations, which he was most proud of, was a two-story tree house that he built around a large hedge tree outside of his home. The family spent countless hours in the tree house visiting, watching the sun go down and remembering good times. Dail never retired. He worked until he was 70 years old, and his body could no longer continue.
Dail died in his home that he and his family built together. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Janice Wescott (Coats) who was by his side from the time she was 16 until his death, sons William “Bud” Wescott of Coyville, KS., Steven and Cara (Prall) Wescott of Gilbert, AZ., Jay and Christina (Bauer) Wescott of Cherokee, KS. Dail had four grandsons, Waylon Dail Wescott, Ian Dail Wescott, Isaac Jack Wescott, and the newest addition to the family Harlan Dail Wescott. He had one unofficially adopted grandson, Dallas Sharpton, of Bartlesville, OK. Three siblings, Leeann O’Brien (Wescott) of Springfield Missouri, John and Nancy (Anderson) Wescott of Willard Missouri and Mark and Toni (Blevins) Wescott of rural Fredonia, Nine nieces and nine nephews.
Dail was preceded in death by his parents George and Maxine Wescott, Mother and Father-in-Law Paul and Wilma Coats, Brother-in-Law Bill O’Brien, Sisters-in-Law Glenice Stussy, Wilma Cox and Cathy Joy.
A Memorial service will be held at 10:00 AM on Saturday, January 11, 2025 at the First Christian Church in Fredonia, KS.
Services are under the guidance of Countryside Funeral Home, Fredonia, KS
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