Deborah Ann Kuntz

Great Falls - Deborah Ann Kuntz (née Bedle), age 72, passed away peacefully on June 7, 2022 due to complications from pneumonia. She was born November 4th, 1949 in Longbranch, NJ to Arden Bedle and Betty Bedle (née Schiemann). She married her best friend Robert (Bob) Kuntz on December 28th, 1968 in Great Falls, MT.

Growing up, Debbie attended thirteen schools in twelve years as her family moved around the country following her father's career. This experience gave her a love of travel and adventure while also making her cherish the lasting friendships she made in Great Falls. She graduated from Lake Washington High School in Kirkland, WA and made her way "temporarily" to Great Falls for the summer before falling head over heels with Bob Kuntz, the cute shoe guy at the Holiday Village Mall. That relationship changed the course of Debbie's life as she went on to get married and graduate from the College of Great Falls with a degree in Elementary Education and received the honor of being named Student Teacher of the Year. She taught 5th Grade at Longfellow Elementary and for many years Debbie worked alongside her husband of 53 years at Village Shoes.

Debbie loved being a wife, mom and "Nana" to her seven grandchildren. Her happiest moments were when she was surrounded by her family and friends at a holiday dinner she had cooked from scratch, at her and Bob's cabin on the Missouri River, or traveling somewhere near the ocean. She always made sure that everyone around her knew how loved and special they were to her.

Her other great joy was giving back to the Great Falls community through volunteering and community service. Debbie served on the Board of Directors for the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center and the Great Falls Public Library Foundation. She also volunteered with the Junior League of Great Falls, was an active member of the AH chapter of the local Philanthropic Education Organization (P. E. O.) and when her children were younger she could always be found helping out at Our Lady of Lourdes School and Great Falls High School.

Debbie is survived by her husband Bob, three daughters Kira (Aron) Lunde, Lara (Todd) Clark, Trina (Joe) Slowik and seven grandchildren Hunter Clark, Kennedy Lunde, Delaney Lunde, Willow Clark, Spencer Slowik, Fletcher Clark, and Harley Slowik. Debbie is also survived by her brothers Arden (Sandy), Randy (Linda), Jonathan and sister-in-law Terry Romo and her many nieces and nephews.

Debbie is preceded in death by her parents, her in-laws, a brother-in-law and an infant son.

Debbie's family would like to thank all the outstanding medical providers in Great Falls and Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle for their exemplary care and excellence.

Please join us in a Celebration of Life at the Meadow Lark Country Club June 17, at 3PM. In lieu of flowers please consider donations to the following: Great Falls Library Foundation, Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, and Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School.

Posted online on June 09, 2022

Published in Great Falls Tribune

Service Information

CELEBRATION OF LIFE

Meadow Lark Country Club

June 17, 2022 at 3:00 PM