Geraldine "Gerry" Kuhn

On January 11, 2023, Geraldine “Gerry” Kuhn, 88, went home to be with her Lord and Savior.

She was born June 5th, 1934 in Osmond, NE to Leo and Mary (Loebe) Jilg - the fifth of ten children.

On May 4, 1955, she married her high school sweetheart and classmate Larry D. Kuhn of Clarks, NE and to this marriage were born five children.

Gerry is survived by her sons Russell (Pat) Kuhn of Columbus, NE, Rex (Deb) Kuhn of Roca, NE, Ryan (Jackie) Kuhn of Alexandria, VA., daughters Ann (Scott) Brunzell of Omaha, Mary Brown of Omaha, 15 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren with three on the way, and one great-great-grandchild.  Her sisters Rose Irvine of St. Paul, NE, Dorothy Sheets of Centennial, CO, Carol Cortinas of Omaha, NE, and her brother Ralph (Brenda) Jilg of Silver Creek, NE. Sister in Law Joyce Kuhn of Central City, and Mary Kuhn of Hanover, MA.

She is preceded in death by her parents Leo and Mary Jilg, her, husband Larry D. Kuhn, brothers Leo "Junior" Jilg, Frances "Fritz" Jilg, and sisters and brothers-in-law Lucetta (Ken) Adkisson,  Mary Helen (Roy) Wyman, sister Eleanor Bender, and daughter in law Mary Sue Kuhn. Brother in Law John Cortinas,  Byron Sheets, Bill Irvine, William “Bill” Kuhn, and Tom Kuhn.

Gerry’s mother passed away in 1948 and her father fell ill unable to care for the children.  Her oldest sister Lucetta (Lucy) and her husband Ken raised the siblings to keep them together as a family.  Gerry graduated from Clarks High School as the valedictorian of the class of 1952.  She was an avid reader and had a passion for learning.  During high school years, she worked as a ‘Soda Jerk’ at Copelands Drug Store.  Upon graduation, she moved to Omaha to take a secretarial job and lived with her sister Rose.  After a year she returned to Clarks to marry her sweetheart Larry Kuhn.  She spent the early years of the marriage raising her 5 children as well as working for Douglas Store, the Clarks Telephone Company, and from 1969 - 1977 as the secretary at Clarks Public School. After leaving the school secretarial job she and her husband opened Kuhn Insurance on Main Street in Clarks.  She became a licensed agent and they built the business together.  She continued to sell insurance after Larry’s passing and was a member of the Grand Island Life Underwriters for 25 years.

Gerry’s first passion was children -  raising her own -  as well as mentoring, encouraging, and supporting others.  She was a participant in the Teammates program with Grand Island Public Schools.  She was always providing encouragement in the form of handwritten notes but her greatest gift was fulfilling prayer requests from anyone in need.  Her grandchildren will attest to the fact that were it not for Grandma’s prayers they would not have fared as well on their tests.

She was active in her Catholic Faith and participated on many levels at St. Peters Church in Clarks, St. Leo’s and Blessed Sacrament in Grand Island, and New Cassel in Omaha.  She was a Eucharistic Minister and a Steven’s Minister at St. Leo’s. She was also a member of The Catholic Daughters of America.

Gerry also spent time providing ‘Pet Therapy” by visiting area nursing home residents with her dog Happy.  She enjoyed Cardinal baseball and Husker volleyball, baseball, and football.

Gerry held a strong belief in 12 Step programs and was active in Alanon for over 45 years.  She freely shared her passion to educate and promote the treatment and prevention of alcoholism and mental illness.  She leaves many cherished and long-lasting friends who shared her mission to help others with addictions of all kinds.

Gerry moved to Omaha in 2015 to be closer to family.  She spent the last years of her life as a resident of Brookestone Meadows LTC where she enjoyed the frequent assistance and visits from her daughters who are both nurses, her family, the Brookestone Meadows staff, and St. Croix Hospice team.

In Lieu of flowers, Gerry’s wishes were that you make donations to a charity of your choosing.