Obituary: Kunz, Hilary Michael “Lary”, Jr.
Age 80
KUNZ, Hilary Michael “Lary”, Jr.
Was born March 2, 1932, in Spokane, Washington, the third of seven children to Violet (Simons) and Hilary M. Kunz, Sr.
He died on September 1, 2012, in Yakima.
Having been raised on a farm near Wilbur, Lary, with his wife of 58 years, May, raised five children on that same family farm with humor, tenacity and a strong work ethic.
Between high school and career farming, Lary spent a semester at Gonzaga University, four years in the Navy, and with various employers in Wilbur, San Francisco and Oklahoma.
Lary and Mary (May) Curtin met on a blind date in 1953.
In June 1954 they started their life-long partnership; sharing farm and meal management, dishes and childcare.
They hosted visitors from four continents for farm tours, hunting, student and cultural exchanges.
Lary was an innovative farmer creating terraces in wheat fields, implementing three-year crop rotation and no-till drilling before others in the county.
He was a patient and encouraging boss - often having a motley harvest crew of kids, women and old people.
He could teach anyone to work with the advice of “safety first” and “yes, you can.”
Dad always volunteered in his community.
He regularly read at mass, served on the Lions club, Grain Growers, Grange and with the Wilbur School board for over 20 years.
His wonderful baritone voice was heard as Master of Ceremonies for many local occasions including announcing the Wilbur Parade for 30+ years.
With the Catholic Church always central in his life, he became a Eucharistic Minister as soon as that was available to lay people.
His Mother, Father, granddaughter, Alexandra, and sister, Elizabeth, preceded Lary in death.
He will be remembered lovingly by his wife, May, his children Mike (Donna) of Bakersfield, CA; Jim (Valrie) of Selah, WA; Mary Kunz-Johnson (Russ) of Spokane; Beth Kunz (Michael Cooney) of Seattle; and Eileen Durspek (Steve) of Vancouver, WA; his siblings Katherine Moore of Spokane, George Dennis Kunz of Seattle, Patricia Kunz of Renton, WA, Evelyn Gaffney of Lacey, WA, and Mary Ann Bresba of Montreal, Quebec, five grandchildren: Casey, Cory, Brett, Hilary and Amelia, one great-grandchild, Kaiden, and numerous friends and relatives.
Lary’s Rosary and Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 on Saturday, September 15, 2012, in Wilbur’s Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
In lieu of flowers please consider; Sacred Heart Parish, P.O.
Box 106, Wilbur, 99185, and Pacific Northwest Udall Center for Parkinson’s research at http://www.panuc.org/