Anthony "Tony" Kula

1962 - 2026

Anthony "Tony" Kula, 63-year-old resident of Little Falls, passed away peacefully on Thursday, January 22, 2026 at his home surrounded by his loving family.

Mass of Christian Burial held on Tuesday, January 27th at 11:30 A.M. at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Little Falls. Visitation held from 4:00-8:00 P.M. on Monday, January 26th and again from 9:00 A.M. until 10:45 A.M. on Tuesday, January 27th. All visitation times held at Emblom Brenny Funeral Service in Little Falls. Burial held at Calvary Cemetery in Little Falls. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Dominican Friars Province of the Mount Holy Name of Jesus: 5877 Birch Court, Oakland, California 94618.

Tony was born on August 30, 1962 to the late Lorette and George Kula. He grew up and attended school in Wheaton, Minnesota and graduated from Wheaton High School in 1980. Tony was active in sports and theater during his high school years. He enlisted in the Navy in 1986 and proudly served as a nuclear machinist mate aboard the USS Salt Lake City, a submarine ported out of San Diego, until 1992. Tony married the love of his life, Valerie Wetzel, in 1990. The couple left San Diego in 1992 and moved to Little Falls. Once back in Minnesota, Anthony earned his bachelor's degree from St. Cloud State in mathematics and a master's degree from the University of St. Thomas. He began his career as a math teacher in Little Falls Community High School. His teaching career spanned thirty years with the last couple being at the Continuing Education Center, which he enjoyed immensely. Tony was the type of teacher that students truly connected with, and he remained invested in the lives of many students into adulthood. He was brilliantly passionate about his subject matter and was deeply committed to his students. Tony retired in 2024 after being diagnosed with a brain tumor.

Tony's relationship with Christ was the defining relationship of his life. He was an active member of St. Mary's Catholic Church. He helped to form young disciples by preparing them for confirmation and was open to sharing his faith with others. In any social situation, Tony met new friends and had the gift of being able to strike up a conversation with anyone.

He enjoyed traveling the world with his wife and friends. Tony also enjoyed sports, especially those his children participated in. He was a spirited fan of Flyer athletics and could be heard yelling from the bleachers at any basketball game. As an animal lover, he treated many family pets well in addition to caring for neighborhood birds and rabbits. Most of all, he loved spending time with his four children and his family and friends.

Tony is survived by his wife, Valerie (Wetzel) Kula; his four children, Joseph, Molly (fiancé, Jack), Elizabeth, Thomas (Ashley) Kula; brother, Michael (Alison) Kula; sister, Kathy (Dale) Malecek and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, George Kula and Loretta (Kula) Giroux and step-father, Art Giroux.

Emblom Brenny Funeral Service is Cherishing the Memory and Celebrating the Life of Tony.