Jean Elizabeth Kuhn
Jean Elizabeth Kuhn
Fairfax, VT – Jean Elizabeth Kuhn, 88, passed away peacefully in her beloved home on December 31, 2021, with family by her side.
Jean was born on January 1, 1933, in Portland, ME, the firstborn of the late Effie E. Woodbury and William H. Fuller. Jean graduated from Madison Memorial High School, class of 1950, and aspired to be an “airline stewardess.” While she did not follow through on that aspiration, she did fulfill her desire for travel and adventure when she married the love of her life, U.S. Navy Fireman (FN), John L. Kuhn Jr., on May 29, 1953, in Canaan, ME.
As a navy wife, Jean accompanied John, along with their three young children, to various duty stations which included: Norfolk, VA, Brooklyn, NY, the Naval Air Station in Bermuda, Newport, RI, and finally Burlington, VT in 1967.
Jean and John lived in Essex Junction from 1967 to 1969, and eventually settled in Fairfax in late 1969, where they lovingly restored a 200 year old farmhouse. The house became their cherished and welcoming home of over 50 years. During her time in this home, Jean worked alongside John in countless home improvement projects, raising chickens, caring for various pets, growing gardens, and collecting and restoring antiques.
Jean and John also participated in the state’s home fostering program, providing care in their home for infants from 1967 – 1970, and young children in 1985. In between these years, they also added two more of their own children to their family.
In 1986, Jean’s love for children inspired her to learn to drive a school bus. She was employed as a school bus driver for Bellows Free Academy in Fairfax, from 1986 to 2001. Jean adored her young passengers by acknowledging their birthdays and academic accomplishments, and handing out homemade gingerbread cookies with the students’ names on them at Christmas.
In addition to the love and support she provided to her family, and practicing her faith in Christ, Jean also loved decorating and caring for her home, reading, camping, and traveling. In addition to her travels as a navy wife, Jean enjoyed vacations in Puerto Rico, Ireland, and a cruise to Bermuda with all of her children, for her and John’s 50th wedding anniversary.
Jean is survived by her five children: Alisa and her husband, Hal Smith, of Fairfax, John W. Kuhn, of Atlanta, GA, Karen and her husband, Kirk Israel, of Benson, Kathleen Kuhn and her husband, Shawn Drew, of St. Albans, and Frederick Kuhn and his wife, Julie, of St. Albans; five grandchildren: Amber, Jenifer, Bjorn, Jessica, and Meagan; and eleven great-grandchildren. Jean is also survived by her siblings, William Fuller, of Randolph, ME, Owen Fuller, of Old Town, ME, Artie Wheeler, of Norridgewock, ME, Jerry Wheeler, of Clinton, ME, and Effie Bubar, of Skowhegan, ME.
Jean is predeceased by John L. Kuhn, Jr. on January 25, 2012. She is also predeceased by her parents and brothers, Raymond Fuller and Edgar Fuller, of Maine.
In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to Franklin County Animal Rescue, 30 Sunset Meadows St. Albans VT 05478 or Age Well Vermont 875 Roosevelt Hwy, Ste. 210, Colchester, VT 05446.
