Dr. Carole Kuhn

Kuhn, Dr. Carole J.

Dr. Carole Kuhn died Sunday, June 18, 2023. Dr. Kuhn was born August 16, 1932, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Her parents, George C. Kuhn, and Betty M. Kuhn preceded her in death. A life-long resident of Hamilton, Ohio, she received her education at Wilson Junior High School and Hamilton High School, graduating in 1950. After graduation she worked at Citizens Bank and Bendix Aviation Corporation. In 1951 she went to Chicago for a short time where she worked as a wholesale model for Gilbert Originals. In 1952 she began her lifelong schooling graduating in 1956 from Teachers' College at the University of Cincinnati. In 1958 she received her Master's Degree in Education from Miami University.

Her first teaching position was at Reily High School where she stayed for 2 years before moving to Fairfield Senior High School where she remained until her retirement. In 1966 she created the Foreign Language Department at Fairfield High School. She established a French Department and later a Russian Department. During that time she also taught French, Russian, and Spanish in addition to English. She served as Foreign Language Coordinator from 1966 until 1989. In 1982 she earned a Specialist Degree in Education from Miami University and later in 1985 she received her Ph.D. from Miami University in the field of education.

During her lifetime she studied at numerous universities--the Sorbonne in Paris, the University of Rheims in France, Leningrad State University, Xavier University, San Francisco State University, Indiana University, and Middlebury Language School in Vermont. During her teaching career she took yearly trips to Europe, French students to France, and her Russian students to the U.S.S.R. Her travelling career began in 1958 with a trip to Europe, and it continued until 1992 having completed a 70 day trip around the world and a summer spent in Africa. In all she had more than 45 trips abroad.

After her retirement in 1992, she began bowling, singing, knitting and biking. She was member of the Tuesday morning Senior Bowling League at Columbia Lanes. In 1993 she joined the Hamilton Fairfield Symphony Chorale as an alto and sang in many of their concerts.

Her biking trips were all done in Europe with Elderhostel or International Bicycle Tours. Her 13 bicycle trips took her to France, England, Holland, Germany, Austria, Italy, and Denmark. Her last bicycle trip to Europe was June, 2008.

After knitting for several years, she began designing hand-knitted vests, sweaters, and jackets, specializing in Modular Knitting. An exhibit of her Modular Knitting was held at the Fitton Center for Creative Arts Nov. 14, 2003 until January 10, 2004.

In April, 2003, she was accepted in the AKD (Association of Knitwear Designers. In May, 2006, she was elected Treasurer/Business Manager of that organization. Her many modular designs were published in inknitters Magazine. In 2007 she wrote a book on purses called Pursnicketies - A modular Knitting Experience, which featured her modular knitting painstakingly sewed onto designer purses. She held the trademark, Pursnicketies, which she used to feature her knitted designer purses. She also opened up a website, pursnicketies.com to market her book.

In 2013 she decided to write a book about her 45 trips to Europe, the Middle East, the Far East, and Africa. Her book was called Mémoires of a Travelholic, and it detailed her first trip to Europe, her 10-week trip around the world, her 10-week African trip plus many others. Later she began taking her French students to France during Fairfield's Spring Break. Many of the difficulties that she encountered while traveling with students were featured in her book. In 2014 she revised the book, adding some more information and correcting some errors.

After retirement Carole volunteered both at Berkeley Square and Westover, giving presentations from her book, teaching French to the pre-kindergarten children at Westover, and teaching French and Modular Knitting to adults through Miami University's Learning in Retirement Program.

She leaves her life-long friend and best companion, Clarence Huening, who traveled with her on her last two trips abroad. In addition, she also leaves her nephew, David Kuhn, and his daughter, Taylor, and her niece Susan Kuhn. She also leaves many of her students who will remember her words of wisdom and teaching skills.

All her life, Carole loved and cared for her animal friends. She adored her Bichon Frisé, Muffet, and her Moluccan Cockatoo, Missey. In 2010 she established Carole's Canine Companion Fund in conjunction with Animal Friends Humane Society which featured weekly dog and cat visits to both Westover and Berkeley.

Memorials may be sent in her memory to the Dr. Carole J. Kuhn Endowment Fund at the Hamilton Community Foundation, 319 North Third Street, Hamilton, Ohio, 45011, which supports the City of Sculpture.

Friends are invited to attend a Funeral Blessing at Weigel Funeral Home,980 N.W. Washington Blvd., Hamilton, Ohio 45013 at 2:00 P.M. on Friday, June 23, 2023 with Father Jeff Silver officiating. Visitation will be on Friday from 12:30 p.m. until time of the service at 2:00 p.m. at the Weigel Funeral Home. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery.