Obituary of Denver Wayne Kunz

Denver Wayne Kunz 91, of Carlinville, formerly of Bunker Hill, died at 8:45 am, Tuesday, July 7, 2014, at Phelps County Regional Medical Center in Rolla, Missouri. Denver was born September 4, 1922 in Bingham, Illinois, the son of Walter D. and Nellie (Greenwood) Kunz. Denver was married on June 30, 1951 to Pauline L. Bennett in Urbana, Illinois and she preceded him in death on March 31, 1985. He later married Dorothy J. Litton on April 21, 1987 and she preceded him in death on August 30, 2005. Denver graduated Fillmore High School in May, 1940, farmed full time until 1942, and then was a brakeman on the Illinois Central Railroad from August, 1942 until he was drafted into World War II in January, 1943, where he trained troops in Arkansas and Texas. Denver served in the Pacific Theater beginning in April, 1945, most notably in the Air Cargo Resupply Squadron, flying a C-47 to drop supplies to troops in the mountains of Luzon, Philippines. After the war, he was transferred to Gen. MacArthur's headquarters in Kyoto, Japan, promoted to an officer and was tasked with administering railway service in the southern half of Japan. Denver joined the active Air Force Reserve in 1947 and retired from the Reserve in 1982 as a Lieutenant Colonel. Denver attended the University of Illinois and graduated with a B.S. in Education in 1949. Denver moved to Carlinville and was Farm Management Field man for the U of I Agriculture Extension from January, 1951 to April, 1961, teaching Cost Accounting and Farm Practices to over 200 farmers in 9 counties in southwestern Illinois. In 1961, Denver moved his family to a farm in Bunker Hill, where he farmed full time as well as serving many of his established clients in Accounting and Management. During the 1970s, he expanded his services to include Estate Planning and Tax Preparation. In 1983, Denver and Pauline moved back to Carlinville where he maintained his business until his retirement in 2008 at age 86. Denver was a charter member and treasurer of the Illinois Veterans WWII Committee to build the WWII Memorial at Oak Ridge Cemetery. He also initiated the Illinois Veterans WWII Scholarship. One of Denver's proudest achievements was his vision and efforts to start, fund and see to fruition, the Illinois Veterans & Community Classroom Project. He was an active member of the United Methodist churches, both in Carlinville and Bunker Hill, and was an active member of Kiwanis International in Bunker Hill. He also had an active interest in political matters. Denver is survived by a son, Kenneth Kunz of McKinney, Texas; daughter, Paula McFarland of Rolla, Missouri; daughter-in-law, Marie Kunz; son-in-law, Lynn McFarland; and grandchildren, Allison Kunz of New York, New York, Spencer Kunz of McKinney, Texas, Kelsey McFarland of Corpus Christi, Texas, and Caitlin McFarland of Rolla, Missouri. Funeral Information Visitation will be held Saturday July 12, 2014 from 1:00-2:30pm at Carlinville United Methodist Church Funeral Services will follow at 2:30 pm at Carlinville United Methodist Church with Reverend Bob Taylor officiating. Burial will be at Prairie Lawn Cemetery in Carlinville, Illinois. Donations Information Memorials may be made to the Illinois Veterans & Community Classroom Project (sent in care of the Illinois WWII Veterans Memorial) or the Carlinville United Methodist Church. Directions Visitation: Carlinville United Methodist Church Service: Carlinville United Methodist Church Cemetery: Prarie Lawn Cemetery