Lawrence Nelson Kugelman

A visitation for Lawrence will be held Friday, January 26, 2024 from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Pacific View Mortuary, 3500 Pacific View Drive, California 92625. A celebration of life will occur Saturday, January 27, 2024 at 2:30 PM at St. Mark Presbyterian Church, 2200 San Joaquin Hills Rd., Newport Beach, CA.

Lawrence Nelson Kugelman, born on September 27, 1942, peacefully passed away on Sunday, January 14th, 2024, at the age of 81 in Lanai, Hawaii. He was a cherished Newport Coast resident survived by his loving wife of 53 years, Dulcie, and their two children and five grandchildren.

Larry was born in Hoboken, New Jersey, and spent his formative years growing up in the Garden State. At the age of 12, he embarked on a journey to become a priest, entering a Catholic seminary. He left the seminary to attend St. John's University, majoring in English Literature, before joining the Peace Corps and spending two years teaching English in Iran. He relocated to Seattle, where he met Dulcie, and eventually earned a full scholarship to Vanderbilt University, where he pursued an MBA.

For more than 25 years, Larry dedicated his professional life to a long and distinguished career in managed health care finding immense satisfaction in helping others. Upon retirement, he continued to contribute to society serving on the boards of public companies and earned a Master of Arts degree in Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland.

Larry and Dulcie actively engaged in lifelong pursuits of various peace initiatives supporting the research of conflict resolution on an international scale.

At Chapman University, he and Dulcie established the Kugelman Family Peace-Builders Fellowship Endowment providing funds for undergraduate students to travel and study conflict analysis and resolution, peacebuilding, and the general promotion of global understanding, as well as to attend and present research at international conferences.

As an esteemed member of the Chapman community, Larry served on the Dean’s Council for Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and supported academic excellence through the annual Kugelman Awards Ceremony for Arts & Humanities.

At the University of California, Irvine, Larry was a founding board member of the Center for Citizen Peacebuilding and funded UCI faculty and graduate student research on conflict and its resolution around the world through the Kugelman Peacebuilding Fellowships.

Larry also played a pivotal role in the student-led Olive Tree Initiative (OTI) providing funding and encouragement for UCI students seeking to establish an open forum for discussing cultural and religious differences surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict. He was later a founding member of its successor, the Center for International Experiential Learning (CIEL). Larry also served on the UCI Foundation Board of Trustees.

A passionate philanthropist, Larry was widely recognized for his dedication to community service and peacebuilding work. He was honored by the Orange County Human Relations Commission with the 2009 Community Leader Award, for his service on the board of Share Our Selves (SOS), a healthcare and social services nonprofit in Orange County with multiple clinics providing services for low-income and homeless residents. He and Dulcie also received the UCI Alumni Association’s 2010 Lauds and Laurels Outstanding Community Members Award.

Beyond his professional and philanthropic pursuits, Larry had a deep appreciation for literature and travel, with Hawaii holding a special place in his heart. Larry's legacy is one of genuine care for people, transcending backgrounds and status. He treated everyone with the same warmth and sincerity.

Affectionately known as "Papa" to his beloved grandchildren, Lawrence Nelson Kugelman leaves behind a legacy of compassion, intellect, and a commitment to making the world a better place. He will be dearly missed by his family, friends, and the countless lives he touched throughout his remarkable journey.

Donations can be made to any of the nonprofits that Larry supported so much, including, the Center for International Experiential Learning, the Center for Citizen Peacebuilding and Share Our Selves.