Advertisement. Advertise with us

IN MEMORIAM: George W. Kukulech, 90;

Served Pittsfield As Councilman, Fireman

George Kukelech

NEW BERLIN – George W. Kukulech, 90, of New Berlin, Town of Pittsfield highway superintendent for seven years and a town board member and firefighter, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, in Orlando, Fla.

George was born on March 1, 1929, in Passaic, N.J., the son of the late Michael and Anna (Cocundy) Kukulech.

He married the love of his life, Beatrice M. Ritrovato on July 2, 1950.

George attended the Ketchum one-room schoolhouse from 1935 to 1940.

For 13 years he worked for the Town of Pittsfield, including superintendent for seven years, driving snowplows and constructing roads.

In 1952, George bought 100 acres of land on Ramey Road, where he continued to farm until he retired in 2000. In 1960 he started working for the New Berlin Central School as a bus driver and mechanic.

George also served as Pittsfield Town Councilman for 25 years, volunteered with the Pittsfield Fire Department from 1974 to 1999 and drove their ambulance.

He was a member of Ketchum Church in Pittsfield and the First United Methodist Church in New Berlin.

George enjoyed traveling, history, movies, working on his puzzle books and socializing. He could talk for hours about life on the farm, the good ole days, watching football, whether it was his grandsons or great-grandsons playing, college or the NFL.

George was a loving, devoted husband and family man. He was predeceased by his wife, Bea in 2015; brother, William (Lenora) Kukulech of Edmeston; and sister, Jane (Jack) Knapp of West Laurens.

He is survived by his daughters; Debbie (Jim) Eccleston of New Berlin, Sue (Tim) Thompson of Orlando, Fla., Janice Coveny of New Berlin, Kathy (Dale) Ives, also of New Berlin; 10 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild on the way. He is also survived by his closest friend, Bunnie Fishick.

He had several nieces, nephews and extended family that fondly referred to him as Dad, Pa Kuku or Grandpa Kuku and he loved them all.

Family and friends are invited to calling hours from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22, at the Dakin Funeral Home, LP, 17 North Main St., New Berlin. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 23, at First United Methodist Church, 51 S. Main St., New Berlin, with Penny Harrington and the Rev. Richard Anderson officiating.

Burial will be held in Union Cemetery in Edmeston.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Pittsfield Fire Department or First United Methodist Church in New Berlin.

Arrangements are by the Dakin Funeral Home, LP, New Berlin.

Condolences may be expressed to the family by going online at www.dakinfuneralhome.com.

Posted

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Related Articles

SCOLINOS: It’s All We Need To Know: Home Plate 17 Inches Wide

COLUMN VIEW FROM THE GAME It’s All We Need To Know: Home Plate 17 Inches Wide Editor’s Note:  Tim Mead, incoming Baseball Hall of Fame president, cited John Scolinos, baseball coach at his alma mater, Cal Poly Pomona, as a lifelong inspiration, particularly Scolinos’ famous speech “17 Inches.” Chris Sperry, who published sperrybaseballlife.com, heard Scolinos deliver a version in 1996 at the American Baseball Coaches Association in Nashville, and wrote this reminiscence in 1916 in his “Baseball Thoughts” column. By CHRIS SPERRY • from www.sperrybaseballlife.com In 1996, Coach Scolinos was 78 years old and five years retired from a college coaching…

Sports Can Resume, Superintendents Told

CLICK HERE FOR MEMO TO SCHOOLS Sports Can Resume, Superintendents Told COOPERSTOWN – In a memo released Friday evening, county Public Health Director Heidi Bond advised local school superintendents that sports can resume as early as Monday. “Effective Feb. 1, participants in higher-risk sports may participate in individual or distanced group training and organized no/low-contact group training,” Bond wrote, “…including competitions and tournaments, if permitted by local health authorities.”…

Piper Seamon Scores 1,000th point

1,000 THANKS! Piper Seamon 5th CCS Girl To Hit High Mark The Cooperstown Central student section erupts as Piper Seamon scores her 1,000th career point in the Hawkeyes’ 57-39 win over Waterville at home last evening. Seamon becomes the fifth girl and only the 14th player in school history overall to score 1,000 points.  Inset at right, Pipershares a hug with teammate Meagan Schuermann after the game was stopped to acknowledge her achievement. Seamon will play basketball next year at Hamilton College. (Cheryl Clough/AllOTSEGO.com)  …