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Lawrence Joseph Kuhn
Lawrence “Larry” Kuhn of Hampton Bays died peacefully at home on May 14 surrounded by his family. He was 93.
He was born in Ridgewood, Brooklyn, on June 6, 1929. He and his family moved to Bellerose in Nassau County in 1931. He attended parochial school in Queens Village and traveled even further to Holy Trinity High School in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, for high school.
After graduating from high school, Kuhn enrolled in the seminary and it was his intention to continue his religious studies. However, he had a change of heart after meeting Jane Wuensche in 1948. After leaving the seminary, he found employment with General Foods and worked in the accounting division of Birdseye Foods for three years.
In 1951, Kuhn received a United States Army draft letter. He was sent to Camp Carson in Colorado, where he trained as a construction engineer. He married Jane Wuensche on May 17 that same year.
While stationed at Camp Carson, Kuhn and his construction battalion built a road to Pueblo, Colorado, through the Rocky Mountains. He was then transferred to Fort Riley in Kansas, where his unit built several pontoon bridges.
He was then assigned to the 45th Division, 180th Battalion in Posan, Korea, in 1952, where he was promoted to sergeant first class. His tour in Korea ended five and a half months later, and he was honorably discharged in 1953.
He returned home to his wife, and they lived with his wife’s parents in Elmont. In 1954, they all moved into a house they built on the property that his wife’s parents owned in Hampton Bays, at 8 East Canal Road.
He went to work for the Bulova Watch Company in Sag Harbor, and then for the New York Telephone Company, AT&T, and later Verizon as a lineman. He stayed with the phone company for 34 years, receiving several promotions along the way. He retired in 1989.
After retirement, he returned to work for the phone company as a teacher for two years. His wife also worked for the telephone company, and later for the Hampton Bays School District.
Kuhn enjoyed many years of his retirement with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
He was a member of the Hand Aldrich Post of the American Legion and was its commander in the 1970s. He was active as a member of the Holy Name Society of St. Rosalie’s Church for many years. He and his wife cooked and served many breakfasts to the members over the years.
He was predeceased by his wife Jane, who died in 2004; and by his brothers, Father Richard, Thomas, Gerard, and Edward Kuhn. He is survived by his sister, Mary Ann Carl; his four children, Herman Kuhn (Judy), MaryLou Bizzoco (Andrew), Lawrence Kuhn (Marie), and John Kuhn (Donna); 10 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Visiting hours will be Friday, May 19, at the Scott-Rothwell Funeral Home in Hampton Baysfrom 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial with be at St. Rosalie’s Church in Hampton Bays on Saturday, May 20, at 10:30 a.m., followed by interment with military honors.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to East End Hospice (eeh.org), Peconic Bay Medical Center (pbmchealth.org), St. Jude’s (stjude.org), and the Hampton Bays Fire Department (hamptonbaysfiredept.org).
Staff Writer on May 15, 2023