Charles Alan Seibel — Chuck to all who knew and loved him —passed away peacefully on February 10, 2026, just shy of his 84th birthday.
In keeping with his sweet nature, he left this world quietly and without any fuss at home in the woods north of Lawrence. The home he started building in the ’70s. (It was never really done, but ever-evolving with lovingly crafted updates.) The home he shared with his wife Judy for over three decades. The home where his kids grew up. His favorite place to be.
Chuck was quiet but had a strong and calm presence, a deep and curious mind, and a kind and sensitive spirit. The words he spoke were worth listening to — whether a thoughtful insight or witty remark delivered with a twinkle in his blue eyes.
Born on February 25, 1942 to Gwen and Martin Seibel, he grew up in Central Kansas and graduated from Hutchinson High before heading to the University of Kansas. There he earned degrees in Philosophy and French in 1965 and a Masters in Applied Linguistics in 1981.
He devoted his career to the Applied English Center at KU, starting as an Instructor in 1981 and serving as Director from 2001 until his (reluctant) retirement. He truly loved what he did — connecting with other cultures and helping international students reach their full potential through the power of language.
Of course he was a grammar expert, but he also appreciated the beauty of words — a philosophical book, the poetry of a certain song lyric, a story that captures the human spirit.
Often up with the sun, he worked hard at home taking loving care of the big family he so adored. Grocery shopping, packing lunches, delivering coffee in bed, helping with homework — all those little bits of domesticity that make a life. He was a steady source of love and comfort, and a powerful example of what it means to be a good person.
He will be deeply missed and forever remembered by his wife Judy, sisters Karen, Diane, and Shelly, children Ben, Jonah, Ella, Saida, Julia, and Katy, grandchildren Jeremiah, Jude, Mika, Lewis, Hazel, and Finn, great-grandson Kiko, extended family, and friends.
A celebration of life will be planned for the spring.
I’m so thankful Chuck was my big brother. When I was a little girl, he was my world. He left for college when I was five, and I remember thinking I just couldn’t live without him. He was a kind and gentle soul, the best.