Cody Allen Kanavel, 29, of Front Royal, Virginia, died unexpectedly on Saturday, May 18, 2024.
Cody was born on May 8, 1995, to Tammy Kanavel and Ernest Kanavel III in Harrogate, England. His family relocated to Front Royal, Virginia in 2002, where Cody attended Warren County Public Schools and graduated from Skyline High School in 2013.
Cody enjoyed cooking, fishing, listening to music, playing the guitar, attending rock concerts with his brothers and friends, and spending time with his family around a good fire. Cody loved nature and had a great appreciation for animals, particularly his cat, “Dr. Dre”. Not only was he an animal whisperer, but he was also an amazing “Uncle Coco”. He adored his niece, Kendyll, and nephew, Hoyt, and looked forward to meeting the newest addition to the Kanavel family later this month.
At 6’4, he was noticed any time he entered a room. But his smile, laugh, sense of humor, and love for others were one of a kind – something that will truly be missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing and loving him.
Cody is survived by his parents, Tammy Kanavel of Front Royal, VA and Ernest James “Jim” Kanavel III and Kristin Kanavel of Shenandoah Junction, WV; his brothers, Shawn Sadler (Leslie) and Kip Kanavel; his niece, Kendyll; nephew, Hoyt; and paternal grandparents, Ernest James Kanavel Jr. and Marian of Levittown, PA.
He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Philip and Barbara Montgomery, and Stanley Brock Jr. of Dexter, Missouri.
There will be a memorial service at Maddox Funeral Home on Sunday, May 26 at 2 PM.
A private celebration of life will take place at a later date.
Dear Kanavel Family,
My heart goes out to all of you. I am so very sorry about the loss of your precious Cody. I feel so connected to him, possibly because of his love for music, animals, and life its self. I only met Cody once, a week ago, for a few minutes, and now I think of him every day. I searched for someone who had heard about what had happened, because I was there and I wanted to see if he was ok. Now, I reach out to you, to send you my deepest condolences. If you need someone to talk to, to share stories with, to be comforted, please call me, a complete stranger, because my life intersected with Cody’s life in a very special way.
🕊️ peace 🕊️
Kris from New Jersey
973-879-8553
Hey this is Cody’s niece Kendyll it’s so hard waking up and knowing your uncle died and going to your dads and your not there so hard I was thinking about you coco and had a mental breakdown because I think about that funny loving uncle we miss you love you coco
I want to say I miss you coco it was to soon I wish I could see you and make cookies and other sweets I had so many memories with you I wish that you were here because I miss and love you I never believed that DADDY first told me that you died and then he said yes, and he looked at me with tears and I never thought you would go early I wish your still with me because it’s so hard to think that you’re gone every time I go to my dads I go to your room and I almost knock like you’re still there but it’s hard it’s really hard to know that your uncle die waking up every morning, thinking that he died it’s true and it’s not fun waking up every morning knowing that your uncle has died and you know that he’s not here I think about you every day Coco I wish we can still make cookies together and I wish we can still see each other. I see you in my dreams all the time and I loved when you let me have candy with my dad didn’t let me we were sneaking grabbed candy and we wouldn’t let my dad know. You knew my dad was strict about me having cake so you sneak me some candy in me and you didn’t get in trouble. I wake up every day and it’s like you’re here it’s like I can’t see you in my dreams. I miss you so much I would do everything to get you back. I’ll even try new foods I do try new foods once in a while you that will help with the sadness that your gone I had a mental break down to where I couldn’t breathe because I miss you that much. I miss you every day. And it’s hard getting the news that your uncle has passed and you were my favorite even make chocolate chip cookies he would let me have candy You would do lots of fun things with me when daddy wasn’t at at you took me to IHOP and we even got to feed the snake we always fed the snake and I will always miss you no matter what I would do anything for you to come back I love you uncle Coco
Sorry the words messaged up I was stuttering but love you coco 💙
It’s hard waking up every day, knowing that you’re gone it’s not fun I wish we can still bake cookies together and make the memories that we had I wish we can still do things together. I think that you’re at my dad’s when I go there then I was about to knock on your door but then I know that you’re not there. I had a mental break down to where I couldn’t breathe because I missed you. I wish you were still here my fun loving uncle we would need to go get candy because you know my dad doesn’t want me having candy so me and you sneak and got. some candy and then when my dad was at work, he would take me to IHOP. He would even take me to Petco to find mouse for the snake, then we will play video games together, and I loved her memory knowing that you were gone upsets me when I first knew that you were gone. My dad came and told me and at first I didn’t believe it then he told me yes it’s true and then I see tears coming out of their eyes then I thought it was actually true me I started bawling you were that fun, loving uncle I’ll do anything to get that fun loving back and I love you Coco💙