Obituary of Mildred Kunze

Mildred Dorothy Kunze, age 88 of Leonardville, passed away Wednesday, September 23, 2020 at the Good Shepherd Hospice House in Manhattan. She was born on December 7, 1931 in Palmer, Kansas, the daughter of Alvin Christopher Carl Killman and Clara Dorothea (Dierking) Killman. She graduated from Linn High School. On April 10, 1955 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Palmer, she married Val Jene Kunze. He preceded her in death in 2007. For nearly 30 years, Mildred was employed by Citizens State/UMB Bank in Manhattan, while simultaneously working as a farm wife and mother. She worked hard her entire life and one of her favorite sayings to her daughters was “mind over matter.” She was a member of the St. Paul Lutheran Church and enjoyed watching Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy, playing Scrabble, crossword puzzles, gardening and bird watching. Despite being diagnosed with ALS in February of this year, Mildred dealt with the effects of the disease with strength and dignity. While in hospice care the last few months of life, she enjoyed weekend card games with her girls. She is survived by three daughters, Marlene Kunze Dolan and Frank of Manhattan, Diane Huffman of Olathe and Jill Reynard and Jay of Riley; two grandchildren, Rachael Peterson and Jared Reynard; one brother, Wilbert Killman and Leann of Clay Center; one sister, Lorene Ohlde of Snohomish, Washington and one son-in-law, Jay Peterson of Leonardville. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by a daughter, Jean Kunze Peterson in 2019; a brother, Victor Killman and a sister, Vera Lecuyer. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, September 28, 2020 at the St. Paul Lutheran Church in Clay Center with Rev. Paul Tessaro officiating. Respect calls may be made from 1:00 until 4:00 p.m. Sunday at the Anderes-Pfeifley Funeral Home in Riley. Burial will be in the Greenwood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established for the St. Paul Lutheran Church and Good Shepherd Hospice House. Contributions may be left in care of the Anderes-Pfeifley Funeral Home.