John Kukla

John J. Kukla was a good-hearted man who lived a long full life. He often appeared gruff on the outside, but possessed a warm heart on the inside. John was a man who cared for those he knew, and he expressed this care through his generosity.

Life in the 1920s was a time of transition. Many people were leaving the farms to get jobs in the factories and abandoning the way of life that had been passed down through the generations. Those who stayed on the farm to make their living worked long hours for a small amount of reward, and with few of the conveniences that those living in the cities and towns enjoyed. Raymond Kukla and his wife, Sophia (Kowalski) of Manistee, Michigan, were farmers in the Filer City area and in the spring of 1925, they welcomed the birth of their son, John Joseph, born on March 15, 1925.

John’s family was fairly large; he was one of six children and grew up in the company of his two sisters, Helen Marie and Dorothy and three brothers, Harry, Stanley and Joseph. As a child, he attended St. Joseph Catholic School and, like many young boys of the time, spent much of his leisure time fishing on East Lake. However, after falling through the ice one winter while crossing with his brothers, who pulled him out, he was not so eager to be in the water. There was one other incident that scared him for life, and made John even more weary of the water. He and his father were rowing across the lake when an unexpected storm brewed and almost sunk the boat before they made it to shore. After that, John always had a respectful fear of the water and preferred watching boats from the shoreline.

John’s first job was at a local foundry in Manistee, pouring metal. He also worked as a welder at various salvage yards in the area. During this time, John married and was blessed with three children, John William, Jean and Robert. The marriage ended in divorce some time later, and he moved to Cedar Springs, where he lived with his brother Joseph and worked at Rockford Paper Mill for a while. John later moved back to Manistee to help care for his mother and soon found work as a press operator at the Richter Vinegar Factory in Scottville.

John’s life took a new direction when he met Hazel Falconer, who was a cook at Bert’s Restaurant in town. She was truly a beautiful woman with a bubbly personality, and it wasn’t long before John was head over heels in love with her. The couple were happily married on March 30, 1967, at the Scottville United Methodist Church. John and Hazel were a perfect match; he was known to have a stern temperament, until he got to know you, but Hazel had a way of softening his disposition, making him easier to approach.

John retired from Richter’s in 1987, at the age of 62, but then went to work for Stokely’s Cannery until it was sold to Chiquita Foods. Being retired meant he and Hazel had plenty of time to take day trips or go for leisure rides together, which they loved. Their favorite place to visit was the Marina in Ludington to watch the fisherman bring in their daily catch and, occasionally they stopped at the Ludington State Park to commune with nature. They also enjoyed playing cards, especially pinochle, and John always looked forward to a meal prepared by Hazel, particularly her pies and homemade candy. John truly adored his beloved Hazel and was faithfully devoted to her until she passed away on August 27, 2002. He tenderly cared for Hazel when her health began to wane and was vigilantly by her side, visiting her every day when she was at Oakview Medical Care Facility. This was a tremendous loss for John, and the saddest day of his life.

When John married Hazel, he found new happiness in his life with family. He enjoyed traveling down the Pere Marquette River with his stepson Ivan, his wife Marie and their family, often starting at Rainbow Rapids in Branch or McDougall’s. Often times, John would pass the time sitting in Riverside Park in Scottville just watching the people fish. He was usually in the company of his trusty friend and dog Buffy, which Ivan and Marie gave him after Hazel died. John looked forward to the holidays when his granddaughter Susan and her family would pick him up and bring him to Ivan and Marie’s home for Thanksgiving. They happily sang songs all the way down to Vicksburg, making the trip go by quickly. Through the years, John remained very close with his brother Joseph. Just recently, he celebrated his 80th birthday at the Kuntry Kubbard Restaurant in Ludington, in the company of Joseph, his sister Helen, and Ivan and Marie.

A “tinker” by nature, John loved to cruise around the area, especially during spring cleanup, looking for “treasures” left by the curbside that he could craft into something useful. He salvaged and recycled all kinds of metal and gave old bike tires he found to his stepson Ivan, who used them on carts he made. John’s good buddy and neighbor, Larry Nichols, would often come over and “tinker” with John in his backyard. To keep up on local happenings, John would visit the local barbershop for a quick cut and gossip. Afterwards, he headed to Wendy’s for lunch; he loved their chili.

Friends and family will remember John not for the things he did, but for the reason he did them. He found happiness in many things, but nothing delighted him as much as spending time with his family, grandchildren, good friends and neighbors. All who knew John will treasure his memory.

John J. Kukla died early Thursday morning, April 28, 2005, at Mercy General Health Partners in Muskegon. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Hazel Kukla, and his brothers, Harry and Stanley Kukla. John will be remembered by his children: John William (Cherly) Kukla and Jean (David) Dresnek, all of Traverse City, and Robert E. (Shirley Mae) Kukla of Kingsley; his stepchildren: Donald (Patricia) Falconer of Mason, Ivan (Marie) Falconer of Vicksburg, Mary Lou DeRooy of Ludington; 4 grandchildren, 9 step grandchildren and numerous great grandchildren; his sisters: Helen Marie Schweitzer and Dorothy (Kenneth) Conklin all of Manistee; his brother, Joseph (Irene) Kukla of Free Soil; his sister-in-law, Connie Kukla of Sand Lake; and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held for John at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 7, at the Stephens Life Story Funeral Home in Scottville, with his friend, Rev. Bobby Dale Whitlock officiating. Friends may meet with his family for a time of visitation on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until time of services at the funeral home. Please visit John’s personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may share a memory with his family, order flowers or make a memorial contribution to either Oakview Medical Care Facility or the Scottville United Methodist Church.