Alec Ja-Wayne Kao

Alec Ja-Wayne Kao, 42, passed away peacefully at his home on Thursday, April 16, 2026. He was born on January 13, 1984, in Greenville, Texas, the son of Peter Kao and Sherie Burt Kao. A funeral service will be held on Friday, April 24, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church, 1401 Washington St., Commerce, TX. Interment at Sonora Cemetery in Fairlie will immediately follow.

Alec graduated from Berkner High School in May, 2001. He then attended Richland Junior College for a time. He lived with his father in Richardson for the last twenty years of his life. For twenty-four years, he worked at Royal China, a Chinese restaurant that his grandfather established in North Dallas over 50 years ago. He was a valued employee who will be greatly missed.

During his free time, Alec was involved in wrestling. He was one of the founders of North Texas Wrestling. He loved everything about the sport and would often attend events and tournaments to support his wrestling family. He was also quite the collector of wrestling memorabilia. He also enjoyed building toy models. He was a regular customer at Jayden’s Toys in Frisco. He also loved being involved in card games.

Left to cherish Alec’s memory are his father, Peter Kao, his step-mother, Lihong Lu; his uncle George Kao and wife April, uncle David Kao and wife Ching Ju Yeh, aunt Linda and uncle Joseph Lu, and aunt Shawn and uncle Wayne Burt; step-sister, Meihan Pan and husband, Jiawen Feng; cousins, Joyuan Kao and husband, Dave Carlin, Jonathan Lu, Juliana Lu, Andrew Kao and wife, Eleanor, J.J. Kao, Nate and Kenzie Burt, Kim Brown, and Jesse and Hannah Burt; grandmother, Carolyn Burt, along with other nieces, nephews, and friends.

He is preceded in death by his mother, Sherie Burt Kao; his grandfather, Harold Burt, and his paternal grandparents.