Condolences & Messages

Ned Southerland

January 31, 2025 -Email

That is a very nice note. Some great shots of Chuck. I will remember his visits through Singapore with Betty in the mid-90’s – to and from India. Lots of great conversations and laughs. 

-Ned

Gregory Garost

January 31, 2025 -Email

I am so sorry to hear of the news, Steve [and Betty]. My sincerest condolences to you, your Mom and Sister, and all the family. I have a few good memories of him and they will always bring a smile to my face

With respect,

Gregory

Genevieve Cole

January 31, 2025 -Email

So sorry to hear this news, Steve. Thank you for letting us know. I really enjoyed your Dad and, in my memory, we are laughing. Always laughing.

The writer Phillip Roth said it is a gift to lose one’s parents later in life, when you’ve raised your kids, wound down your career, etc. I believe this to be true—I needed 10 more years with my Dad. Or 20. 😉

This is of some solace to you, I hope, as you navigate your grief. You shared a lot of life.

Please tell Sue and your Mum we are sad, too.

Love,

G and Co.

Arthur Kuhn

February 1, 2025 -Email

This is sad news, indeed—my condolences to Betty on the loss of her husband and partner in their family.

I recall our times in Vernon where I started at the Vernon High School with Bill at Easter in 1946 Alf later joined us in 1948 and Charles I think in 1950 to reconstruct our gang of three. Bill left to join the Bank of Montreal in 1950 and Alf and I left in 1952.

I recall Charles was then the oldest and the senior member of the Kuhn Family at VHS and the oldest sibling on the Coldstream Family Orchard.  At UBC Charles had his gang of classmates that he spent time with.

In my UBC years, I was at Vernon during the summer of 1953 and for only short periods the next two summers and various times 

during later years.

Memories of Charles will be some level of comfort to all of us who knew him.

- Arthur Kuhn

Penelope "Penny" Schulz

February 1, 2025 -Email

Dear Betty, Sue, Steve and family, 

Sending you all lots of love at this very sad and difficult time. [Below are photos of] Some happy and wonderful memories I have in 2016 [&] My home in Nov 2011

Kind regards,

- Penelope Schulz (Tanunda SA 5352)

Glenda Hoffmann

February 1, 2025 -Email

I have passed it along to all of my brothers. Chuck was an honourable human being who lived life to its fullest. Although we are only a few steps behind your mom and dad I have always looked up to them as role models on how to live your best life. Rob and I are currently in Sydney, supporting Hannah with her never ending medical work and study. I will write to Betty.

Catharine Grieve

February 1, 2025 -Email

Hello there, it’s Catharine from Edmonton. I had left a messages I think on Betty‘s phone. I am so saddened to hear about Chuck. I am thinking of you and your families. He was such a wonderful man and I have so many great memories of our times together. You all are in my heart, and I am sending much love and hugs from Edmonton. Please let me know if there is anything I can do, and please reach out anytime.

Laurie Gibson (nee Moroz) 

February 2, 2025 -Email

I am so sorry to hear of Chuck's passing.  Your parents have always held a special place in my heart and I have such wonderful memories of both of them.  Working for your dad at the pharmacy was one of my first "real" jobs and it was both terrifying and fun at the same time!  He had so much more confidence in my than I had in myself and often pushed me out of my comfort zone.  Like the time he had me deliver some meds to the seniors home using his Mazda RX-7 (I think that's what it was!) when I had literally never driven a standard before!  And he was well aware of that!  But he just tossed me the keys and looked at me with that little smirk - and I did it.  It wasn't pretty but the car came back unscathed as did I 🙂

I am sending you and your family condolences from Mike and myself and please give Betty a big hug from me.

Much love,

- Laurie xo

Doug and Janet Kuhn 

February 2, 2025 -Email

We’re very sorry to hear of Chucks passing. We know he has been declining over the past few years and probably didn’t recall much but it’s still a very sad time for you all. We admired Chuck a great deal. He was always very hospitable and kind to our family whenever he was around us. We will miss him. 

Hope your mother is doing okay as it would be a great loss for her. 

Thinking of you all. 

Our sincere condolences 

- Doug and Janet Kuhn 

Susanne "Susie" Herrmann (nee Rechtenwald)

February 4, 2025 -Email

Dear Betty, Sue and Steven! 

I can`t find words for how much this news affected me. I would like to express my deepest condolences for your great loss-also on behalf of my parents and my entire family. It must have been heartbreaking to lose him gradually to dementia over the last few years. I will remember Chuck as a sharp and cheerful person with a good sense of humor.

There are no right words for this. I´m so very sorry. I just looked at the many photos and letters in my Canada memory box. I am so grateful for this great time and the wonderful people I was able to meet. Chuck and of course Betty will always have a special place in my heart.

Please give Betty a big hug from me. Let me know if there is anything I can do for you.

The picture that I would like to send you, was taken in 2017 when Betty & Chuck visited us on the occasion of Lea`s Communion. It must be one of the last pictures from us.

That is one of my favourite pictures and that is how I want to remember him.

Love, Susi

Judy Zutz

February 5, 2025 - Castanet

Words don’t ease the grief of losing our loved ones but know he is in God’s hands now. Thinking of you, Betty and family as you travel this sad journey of life. Stay strong and know that others care. He was a great human being. 

- Judy Zutz

June Owen (Kuhn)

February 5, 2025 - Jacquie Lawson eCards

Thinking of You

Thinking of many memories from past years.

Love & Prayers to all the family

- June

Jeff Richmond

February 6, 2025 at 3:35 pm - Springfield Funeral Home

I spent a lot of time growing up in the Kuhn household, both at the house on Popp St. and on Huntleigh Crescent. Needless to say, Chuck had a big influence on me (and Betty too, of course) – whatever I am today is in no small part due to them. He really personified the ‘gentle’ in the word gentleman – I cannot recall him having a bad word to say about anyone. He was always magnanimous, generous with his thoughts and wisdom. I have a fond memory of a cycling trip that Chuck, Betty, Steve and I did from Banff to Kamloops – hard work for sure and sometimes scary especially with the truck traffic in the snowsheds. We managed to get to the summit of Roger’s Pass just around sunset and Chuck made the decision we’d stay in the hotel rather than set up tents – I learnt a good lesson about weighing options! Thank you for everything Chuck (including helping lift my Dad’s car back onto your driveway one rainy, muddy night!).

Donalee Vidal

February 6, 2025 at 5:54 pm - Springfield Funeral Home

Auntie Betty, you and Chuck have always been an enormous influence in our family. My parents, Pat and Norm, loved traveling with you two or on the golf course or around the dinner table. Thank you for all the good times, special memories I will carry with me all my life. I love you both. Chuck will be missed.

Denyse Mendivil

February 6, 2025 at 8:40 pm - Springfield Funeral Home

My sincere and deepest condolences to Aunt Betty and the whole family. I have very fond memories of spending time with Uncle Chuck, Aunt Betty and the Kuhn family growing up.. They were wonderful times of games, swimming, chats and so much laughter. I deeply appreciate all of your love and support and feel so thankful to have had those moments together. Sending love and prayers to you all..🙏❤️🌹

Jenelle Hynes & The Vineyards Team

February 6, 2025 - Castanet

Dearest Kuhn Family,

We are so sorry for your loss. Reading Chuck’s obituary, it’s clear what a wonderful man he was before vascular dementia changed his path. One thing that always remained was his deep love for Betty and his family—it shined through whenever he saw you and spoke of you. May Chuck now find peace, and may you find comfort in knowing he will continue to watch over you with the pride and love he always carried for his family.

With deepest sympathy,

- Jenelle Hynes & The Vineyards Team

Val & Todd Petillion

February 6, 2025 - Castanet

Chuck was such a lovely neighbour. Always kind and supportive to his neighbours at Sunset Ranch. We are so sorry to hear this sad news! Take good care Betty. Our deepest sympathies. He was always smiling. 

- Val Petillion

Tarrance Grieve

February 7, 2025 at 6:12 am - Springfield Funeral Home

I met Chuck in 1976 when my wife, Jean invited her newly met friend Betty to our home for dinner. We were new to Kamloops. That dinner was reciprocated so many times, our get together were labeled by Steve, “food wars”.

In time our two families vacationed together, celebrated each others birthdays and after we ended up being neighbours, offered extra rooms and a fold up cot for guests.. I have long considered Chuck to be more than a friend and more like a brother. Betty, and Susan, and Steve and all of the grandchildren; may your memories of a remarkable, generous, loving man sustain you at this time of mourning. mi casa es tu casa.

Don Allen

February 7, 2025 at 4:09 pm - Springfield Funeral Home

Deepest condolences. Chuck and Betty were awesome supporters of the music programs at MacPark Jr Sec and NorKam while I taught there. Overly generous in every way and an outstanding citizen in the community. I will cherish the memories.

Glenda and Rob

February 7 - Email

Dear Betty, 

Rob and I are so sorry for your loss. I guess it comes for everyone and we can never truly be prepared. We are always in a state of either mourning or celebrating and sometimes both at the same time. Chuck was a wonderful person and an absolute pillar of family and community. He was a matter of fact, get things done (no matter how difficult) kind of guy. He rose to challenges and tackled problems head on. He lived with generosity and kindness, a sense of humour and adventure and an immense joie de vivre.

Rob and I learned a lot from how you and Chuck lived your lives and we have tried to follow your example. We have had a great life because of it.

This is a difficult time. I have saved this dog eared letter (below) for myself. It helps me to keep things in perspective. I hope it will for you as well.

Rob and I are currently in Sydney Australia. We are supporting Hannah during a very high stress period; her exam for Paediatrics is coming up very soon. We are trying to take some of the pressure off of her by grocery shopping, meal prep, laundry, etc. It is summer here, so not a bad place to spend some time. 

Hopefully we will get to Peachland this summer. If you are still in the Okanagan, let’s get together.

All the best, 

Glenda and Rob

Ken Kuhn

February 8, 2025 at 7:15 am - Springfield Funeral Home

Chuck was a doer and he did many things and went many places with Betty. He represents for me the brother who connected me to my “bench of brothers” when I was growing up and the one who made the effort to connect me to family when I first left Vernon at 18 to attend UBC and when I had my own tribe we always stopped and stayed with Chuck and Betty in Kamloops. My girls knew Sue and Steve as flesh and blood cousins, and Chuck as the uncle with a face of family. Chuck “showed up” when you needed him. This picture taken in Portage is one of many that shows Chuck in a tie, braces and number 5 from my bottom end. I remember my first day of School sitting beside my brother Chuck at his desk. He was kind to me. Chuck was the last one combing his hair before we ran down the long driveway to catch the bus. Chuck had, what we now call, “soft skills” in an unmeasured cup that spilled over. Chuck was glue in our common family of origin and continued as one who connected his friends strangers to his own family with Betty , Sue and Steve. To me it feels like Chuck’s spirit of connection is a continuing reality. Four of those shown in this picture still continue our own journey but there we also have a kind of unbroken circle in a sweet bye ‘n bye. Chuck left a warm fire that I hope Betty, Sue, Steve and the family can feel on their hands, within their hearts, and in their doings too.

Ted O'Sullivan

February 08, 2025 - Castanet

Loved curling with Chuck in Winfield. He was a price of a guy and imm sorry that he passed. R I P Chuck. 

- Ted O'Sullivan

Janet Seibert (nee Kuhn)

February 08, 2025 - Email

So sorry to hear about Uncle Chuck! Dementia sucks! 

Attaching some pictures of myself ( Jan ) . Some with your dad.

I was the flower girl at your folks wedding. I was 3. And apparently was a bit unpredictable.  Sat on the steps looking out at everyone. Then when leaving the church in the car with Chuck and Betty I told your dad to sit in the front of the car. I was going to sit with your Mom in the back.

Luckily Chuck gave a nice toast at my wedding.  And your Mom did a story about me. Haha!

Our thoughts are with all of you!! Hugs!!

- Mike & Jan (nee:Kuhn) Siebert 

Chris Mulraney

February 10, 2025 at 4:23 am - Springfield Funeral Home

Chuck attempted to teach me to ski in BC in 1982, I was 25 and on my first visit to Kamloops with Ally and we had been married only a couple of years, there was a lot of standing-up and falling down – he was a very patient teacher. Years latter Poppa Chuck introduced our three daughters to skiing in Calgary. We always appreciated the effort that Chuck and Betty made to visits us several times down under. Our daughters loved those visits and the opportunity we has to visit Canada as a family. Poppa will be sadly missed by us all and we tender our condolences to all of the Kuhns family on his passing. Poppa Chuck will always have a special place in all of our hearts 

- Ally, Chris, Jessika & Jacob, Sarah & JonPaul and Emma.

Marina Witt-Taylor

February 11, 2025 at 4:26 pm  - Springfield Funeral Home

Betty, I am so sorry to hear of Chuck’s passing. I know that this loss will make a huge hole in your life as the two of you had such a wonderful life together. Please accept my sincere thoughts and sympathy at this difficult time.

- Marina Witt-Taylor

Daniela Cinel 

February 11, 2025 at 9:48 pm - Springfield Funeral Home

Dear Sue and family, I have wonderful memories of Mr. Kuhn as a kind and gentle person. Please accept my sympathy.

- Daniela Cinel 

Dona Kobayashi 

March 5, 2025 at 11:28 am - Springfield Funeral Home

Dear Betty,
I was so shocked an saddened to read of Chuck’s passing. You two were part of the Kobayashi family on Popp Street and you brought me into Rotary in 1995. Chuck will be missed by many people whose lives he touched in his quiet way.

- Dona Kobayashi