Gwendolyn Zerie Kuhn

Gwen was born to Vernon and Nina Scott in Seattle on December 29th, 1931 at Cabrini Hospital on Capitol Hill. Gwen was the second of three girls, with her older sister, Charlotte being 17 years her senior. Her younger sister, Shirley, only lived a short life, leaving Gwen and big sister Charlotte. Gwen attended Beacon Hill Elementary while her father worked selling hats and overcoats at Bernie Utz’s shop on 2nd and Spring Street in downtown Seattle. Her mother died when Gwen was 10, leaving a hole in the family. Vernon eventually remarried a wonderful woman named Dorothy who was a loving grandmother. Gwen attended Franklin High School and went on to work at the City of Seattle where she met Carl Kuhn in her early 20’s. Dad was working at City Light where he had one eye open for the ladies. One came by his office daily, doing her chores for the Stenographic Pool. Dad asked his friend, Don Baer, if he knew her, and he said yes. In fact his wife knew her from their days on Beacon Hill where mom had lived and gone to grade school. Dad eventually worked it out to invite her to coffee on one of their two 15 minute breaks each day. He apparently did not make a great hit that day as they got no further. But at the company Christmas party in 1951, dad found Gwen and stuck to her like glue and he found her to be very warm and friendly. He then asked her on their first date to a Husky basketball game with his sister, Aunt Rosemary and her boyfriend (our future Uncle Clyde). In 1952, however, dad was given orders to start his active duty in the Navy as an Ensign, Civil Engineering Corps and was to report to Boston Naval Shipyard. Dad wrote mom letters every night and vice versa. Then, dad reports, suddenly the mail slowed and eventually stopped. Dad found out that mom had another “friend”. He was heartbroken. But after nine months in Boston, dad went home for Christmas leave and got re-acquainted with Gwen and asked her to marry him. Way to fight dad! He asked her while sitting in the front seat of his everloving Ford. Because she was taking a Stewardess School at the time and scheduled to become a Stew on Pacific Northern Airlines (the airlines that eventually became Alaska Airlines), she was caught between her new job and becoming a bride. Eventually she accepted and they bought a small ring together (dad had most of his money tied up in property he bought on Mercer Island for $2,000). Mom and dad were married May 29, 1954 in the Beacon Hill Congregational Church (Gwen’s church) and the reception was in the basement. They honeymooned in B.C. and on Vashon and then returned to their apartment in the Phinney district. Together they built their home on Mercer Island. They worked during the day and worked on building the house on weekends. Every weekend for a year and a half, every vacation day for a year and a half, every city holiday for a year and a half, they worked on the house. Finally on April 1, 1956 they moved in. Nine months later, Scott was born, named after Gwen’s maiden name. Fifteen months later, Kris was welcomed into the family and mom and dad felt complete.

Throughout the years, holidays were shared with both mom and dad’s families. Aunt Charlotte and Uncle Jim, Cherie, Jimmy, Jay, Janine, Jeff, Aunt Rosemary and Uncle Clyde, Uncle Bill and Aunt Jackie, Mark, Lisa, Jeff and Anita and Grandpa Kuhn, Grandpa Scott and Grandma Dorothy.

In the early 60’s, Gwen’s sister’s son, Jimmy, while swimming one day – dove head first into the lake and was killed. This loss was immense for the entire extended family. Out of loss, however, brought the idea to mom and dad for another child and on March 15, 1965, Doug was born. Because they thought best for Doug to eventually have a “friend”, they went along to have their fourth and final child in 1967, Karen. NOW the family was complete.

Gwen filled her days with raising her four beautiful and energetic children. In 1969, dad got called up to active duty and was to report to Vietnam. He shipped out and Gwen’s strength and patience became clear to all as she remained home raising the four young kid for several months. Dad returned sooner than thought after he broke his leg in a fun football match with the guys. The plan was for him to call his mission complete at that point but due to a family emergency, his compatriot in Vietnam was called home and dad offered to return and take his place. Off he went again, leaving mom alone with the four kids. We believe it was during this time that mom gained so much of the independence that she extoled in the 17 years after dad’s death.

After dad returned from Vietnam for good, he opened his own Engineering firm on Mercer Island and built that up while she raised the family. She served her community well including the PTA, Mercer Island Women’s Club, Mercer Island Republican Women, Precinct Committee member, and Mercer Island Presbyterian church (since 1959!) serving in the choir, as a Deacon and Stephen Minister, and in many other ways.

Mom was always an active lady. Always kept herself in good shape from walking the dog, to yoga, to swimming laps, and of course, golf. Mom and dad and friends skied together for many years and took many trips. Gwen loved to travel with Carl and then with friends - and in her 80’s was known to kiss stingrays and ride the longest and tallest zip line in the world. What a gal! What a life!

Speaking of trips, mom and dad enjoyed many vacations in Hawaii with Dave and Hazel Brown. Mostly, however, their vacations were enjoyed at the house on Vashon where they would take the kids to visit Grandpa Jack. Eventually, after Jack’s death in 1974, this house would be a labor of love for mom and dad, creating a beautiful “cabin” that they spent much of their summers and many holidays with the Raymond family. The slew of kids would wake, eat, and run amok until the sun went down.

Some of her favorite memories are from time spent together with family in Mexico. In 1986, mom and dad were invited by Don and Peg Raymond to join them in Mazatlán. They loved it so much, they bought their timeshare and made it an annual vacation, inviting family and friends to come whenever they could. After dad’s death, Kris became mom’s trustworthy travel partner and they enjoyed three weeks a year together in the sun. Scott and Doug’s family always came when they could and Karen & Philipp and kids copied mom and dad making it their family’s annual tradition, enjoying the time with mom and Kris and many friends who congregated at the same time, same place.

Scott graduated from college in 1979 with a degree in Civil Engineering from the UW. He went on to serve for five years in the Navy. He returned to eventually work for Kuhn Associates under dad. In 1993, he met Cathy and was married on October 14, 1995. On Christmas eve, 1996 Rachael Rose was born, the first of the eight grandchildren.

Kris attended Seattle Central Community College from 1976 to 1978 concentrating in clerical courses. She went on to work for several companies, eventually landing at the City of Seattle in 1985 as an Administrative Support Assistant. This January will mark her 30th year working for the City. In 1989 she met Archie Herron and they were married on March 27, 1993. Kris has been a good mom to her Boston Terriers over the years: Rocky, Rowdy and now Dubs.

Doug, like his dad and older brother, also graduated with a Civil Engineering degree from the UW. And he also came to work for dad at Kuhn Associates. In 1992 he met Dana and they were married on July 9, 1994. Dain was grandchild number two, born on April 30, 1997. Mom and dad were over the moon about these two little babies! Unfortunately, not soon after their arrival, dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He died on January 20, 1998 after a brief but painful battle. Mom still had her four kids and their families near which was a gift for her, and she and the family had to slowly learn how to live in the world without Carl. She did an amazing job and for the last 17 years was as solid as a rock for the family. She also didn’t slow down, remaining very active in the community, and with friends and family and was able to enjoy many travel experiences.

Karen graduated from the University of Puget Sound in 1989 and after a few odd jobs spent a year in Tokyo where mom came for a visit with Lisa Lammers. After her return, she enrolled in a Master’s degree to Teach English as a Second Language and met Philipp Schmid in 1996. Philipp was able to discuss potential marriage to Karen with dad before he died. He was all for it. So on September 16, 2000 they were married on Vashon.

Six more grandchildren were born for Gramma Gwen’s enjoyment. Peter arrived on October 26, 1998, Sophie on March 20, 2000, Caleb on February 15, 2001, Carl on April 13, 2003, Jack on August 19, 2003 and last but not least, Amelie on April 19, 2006. Gramma Gwen loved her grandchildren and instilled in them a sense of how to move about in the world. Kindness, love, patience and encouragement – all day long.

In her retirement years, Gwen kept active with the above as well as Golf, Out to Lunch Bunch, attending her grandchildren’s events and babysitting pleasures, Husky football games, the 5th Avenue and Village Theaters, and a bundle of friendships which she honored and dearly enjoyed. She and Kris were very involved in the Eastside Republican Club as well. We kids were always so happy to hear of her busy days and travel plans. She probably had more on her calendar than we did and it was what made her happy in the years after dad’s death.

As a family, we all agree that mom had some hard times. Growing up in the depression, losing a sibling and her mother at a very young age, raising children alone for some time, and losing dad before they had a chance to enjoy his retirement. But nothing compared to the loss in her heart when Doug suddenly died on December 2, 2011 from an enlarged heart. His heart failed him and it broke her heart. But mom put one foot in front of the other and loved Dana and the Kuhn boys just that much more. She showed our family how to move forward in a dark time. She was our strength.

Mom wasn’t ready to go at 82 years young. She was still vibrant and besides a small hiccup where she had to get a pacemaker installed, she really had good health. Her skin was perfect and she had no physical disabilities except maybe a sore neck every now and then. So it was with shock to this family when the stroke occurred. We weren’t prepared. However, because of the nature of her progression in the final days, our entire family – and many friends – had the beautiful opportunity to tell her everything they wanted to tell her. We were able to thank her for her love, to tell her how proud we were of her, to make sure she knew how much she was loved by us and many, many people. Mom died with Scott, Kris and Karen with her and the beauty of her last breath will stay with us forever. Mom saw something beautiful and we are at peace that she is in good hands. We sent many messages with her to be delivered to dad and Doug and we know they are all together now.