Reno W. Kuehnel, Jr.

Reno (Skip) Walter Kuehnel, Jr. As we feel the loss of a truly remarkable husband, father, brother, friend, we also celebrate a life so richly lived and freely shared. Skip passed away Thursday evening, December 20th, much as he lived, surrounded by family, in the living room of the home he had come to love so well. The north woods even provided a snowfall.

Skip was born to Reno Walter Kuehnel, Sr., and Jean Elizabeth Leggate in Milwaukee, WI, on June 17th, 1926. He is survived by his brothers, Edward, John, and Fritz and preceded in death by his younger brother Darell. He leaves behind his wife of nearly 60 years, Rebecca Pederson Kuehnel, and their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Raised in Minnesota, Skip was of that greatest generation that graduated high school and went directly into the Navy at a time of war. His aptitude for electronics was quickly noticed, and he served in the Pacific theater, receiving commendations, and continuing after his three years of service to pursue a degree in electrical engineering from North Dakota State University. It was on holiday from college that he met the love of his life. Married secretly, April 4th 1953, the couple began their life together after her graduation that spring from Cottey College.

The years that followed are a flurry of addresses and activity, as the growing family moved from Fargo to Pittsburgh to Annapolis to Wisconsin, first in Thiensville, then settling finally in the Milwaukee area in Franklin. Skip helped to design the first inertial navigation systems for commercial aircraft at Delco Electronics, and took pride in his work on the ground-based components for the burgeoning space program. Skip always stood firm on his beliefs, from refusing to work on projects designed to take lives, to joining the civil rights movement, even riding a bus from Milwaukee to the March on Washington in 1963.

At home, the family was growing, and not in entirely expected ways. After their third son, Reno and Rebecca determined to adopt, because “every child deserves a home.” Thirteen children later, the family was complete, and had long since outgrown the Franklin home and moved to the country in rural Newton, WI. The middle-aged couple proceeded to learn an entirely new way of life, farming, raising veal calves, managing acres of garden and roomfuls of children.

When it was finally time to retire, they found a quiet 20-acre place near Wausaukee, WI, and became First Responders and then EMTs. Always active, always contributing, always engaged. This stage of life brought them the opportunity to travel, including treasured memories of visiting Norway and the Faroe Islands, building houses for Habitat for Humanity in Kentucky and Mexico, and a stint in Montana serving as cook and maintenance at a ranch operated by Project Vote Smart.

In this final year, bladder cancer took a heavy toll. Reno passed in the late evening, but he leaves so much behind. A lifetime of love with a special woman who matched him stride for stride. The love and admiration of their sons and daughters, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Strong friendships. Principles of the importance of learning, of curiosity, of courage, of doing for others and doing for oneself, of never forgetting to laugh. It is with deep love and gratitude that his family gives a final farewell.

As his final gift, Reno asked that his body be donated to science, a request his family has honored. A memorial service is planned for the spring. A group page has been placed on Facebook and any who wish are invited to share memories there and follow the plans for that memorial. On behalf of his children - Chris, Peter, David, Tom, John, Maria, Sam, Tory, Jean, Maurice, Fernando, Tyrone, Ho Chang, Adriano, Roberto, Caleb � we would also like to give a special thanks to Dr. Bruce Neal, Dr. Nguyen, and Dr. Nancy Davis and her staff at the Vince Lombardi Cancer Center for their kind support. Our thanks, too, to Unity Hospice for their assistance during this final week.

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