Elizabeth Hochenedel Kuehn

1945 - 2023

Elizabeth Hochenedel Kuehn (Lilbit, Libet) was born to Muller and Eloise Hochenedel on 19 February 1945 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She met her first forever friend, Karen, in kindergarten and their friendship blossomed over the years. They went through grammar school, high school, and Louisiana State University together. After graduating from LSU with a bachelor's in education, Libet and some of her college friends moved to Atlanta to teach. After getting some experience under their belts, in 1969, she and forever friend Linda joined the Department of Defense school system-Libet to DoD's Chofu elementary school in Tokyo, Japan. She lived in the bachelor officers' quarters at Fuchu Air Station, where she met First Lieutenant Rob Kuehn, USAF, when she was invited to a party at Rob's apartment. Their eyes met and Rob chased her till she caught him! They married at St Joseph Cathedral in Baton Rouge on 8 August 1970-sword arch and all. Another forever friendship flourished with Sissy. Linda, Karen and new sister-in-law Mary Lou were bridesmaids. Her sisters in law-Mary Lou, Kathy, Liz, and Jean-became forever friends. Libet returned to Tokyo with her husband in tow (or was it vice versa?) Forever friend and teaching colleague Diane taught her slow and easy downhill skiing-a life lesson. In 1972, the young couple moved to Grand Forks Air Force Base, ND where Rob was a missile operations officer. Their son John was born there along with newborns of Patty and Dave (Kate) and Pam and Chuck (Beebe), all within a week of each other. The couples have been forever friends since. Another forever friend, Sally became John's babysitter and "second mother". In fact, Sally's whole family adopted the young family and became mentors for the clueless parents! In 1977, the family moved to Montgomery AL where Libet taught preschool and then elementary school at St Bede Catholic parish while Rob was on the Air University faculty. She juggled the duties of mother, teacher and military spouse with vigor and grace. While there, she met another forever friend, Brit. Their first tour at the Pentagon in Washington DC began in 1982. Their home was in Annadale, Virginia. Libet taught first at St Michael's School where she met forever friends-Carol, Joan, and Sister Jeannine. While at St Michael's, she helped Rob lead their Boy Scout Troop to England. She and Carol moved to the Fairfax County School System. Libet's classes included many refugee children, especially from Vietnam. Carol and Libet snuck off to New York City on several occasions for way too much fun. In 1988, the couple transferred to Bitburg Air Base, Germany. Rob became Base Commander and Libet added Commander's wife to her portfolio of mother, homemaker, and schoolteacher at the DoD elementary school. She gained two more forever friends, Royce and Phyllis, and they proceeded to soften their commander husbands' images by being caring leaders of the community. Her wanderlust was contagious, and she traveled around Europe with Carol and Joanie, again having way too much fun. Come 1991, Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, beckoned as Rob became the Combat Support Wing Commander and she was again thrust into the role of Commander's spouse. And guess who showed up-Brit and Royce! And new friends, three marvelous women-two named Lynda and Anne (jogging partner)-came into her life. When the first hurricane after arriving on Okinawa was about to hit, one Lynda and husband showed up at the door with wine and cheese and rode out the hurricane with Libet and Rob-now that is friendship! Together all these women kept hearth and home and community together. Libet and Brit grabbed a memorable getaway to Taiwan. While in Okinawa, Libet's father became seriously ill with cancer and Libet got herself on a KC-10 tanker to fly home to help care for him. He passed away after her return and the women of her community gathered around her to comfort her in her grief. It has been said that the Kadena AB family was more saddened by Libet's leaving than they were by Rob's! In 1993, she packed up her household goods and headed to Washington DC for Rob's final Air Force assignment back at the Pentagon. The family returned to their home in Annandale, and she packed John off to Notre Dame. She decided to try her hand at dental assisting and became a clean teeth advocate-Rob and John were the main beneficiaries of her zeal. Of course, she reconnected with Carol and Joanie, and they were off on adventures from time to time. In 1997, her career as a military spouse came to an end as Rob retired and found a second career in the aerospace/defense industry in Huntsville, Alabama. They moved into a Dutch colonial overlooking the city and more forever friends came into her life-Carla, Tracy, Jean, Peggy, Annie, Kelly, Margaret, to name but a few. She became active in bridge, garden club, and tennis. She was so active in tennis that she became President of the Huntsville Women's Tennis Association and a member of the City's Tennis Board. The ladies were instrumental in development of the new Huntsville Tennis Center-who's going to tell dedicated women "No"?? They hosted numerous USTA tournaments and social events. This love of tennis and bridge extended to her winter home in Gulf Shores where she played in USTA tournaments again and filled her home with tennis ladies and bridge partners as overnight guests. Rob moved to a friend's condo on these occasions. Recall that Libet had sent John to Notre Dame where he married the love of his life, Michelle. When her grandchildren, Anne and Jack, came along, she added Nana to her repertoire and loved it! She made numerous trips from Huntsville to South Bend to be with the new loves of her life. One day, John announced he couldn't imagine living anywhere else. So, she packed up again and moved with Rob to Mishawaka, IN to be near her kids. And more forever friends came into her life, Sandy (Michelle's Mom), Sister Theresa (Michelle's Aunt), Kathy, Marlene, Carol. In 2021, she and her husband celebrated their 50th Anniversary with a fun filled dinner and dance at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs. They were surrounded by family and forever friends creating memories to last a lifetime. Math geniuses will note that 2021-1970 does not equal 50. COVID put the kibosh on the 2020 celebration, but the Broadmoor just pushed everything ahead by a year with great finesse. She loved Island House, the family's winter home in Gulf Shores, and delighted in house parties with forever friends and family. And she garnered more forever friends there-Jane, Jennifer, Vickie, and Liz. She was looking forward to going there once her heart was fixed. There are obviously some recurrent themes in her life-her capacity for love and friendship, inspiring leadership, and her love of travel. More needs to be said about travel-to wit:· Their honeymoon trip to Hong Kong and Bangkok. Travels around the Japanese Islands-Kyoto, Mt Fuji, Sapporo (for skiing). Ocean cruise from Athens to Istanbul with her sister Frances and husband Johnny. Rob remembers Libet waking him up at Oh dark thirty, to see Haga Sophia and the Blue Mosque glowing through the fog as the ship sailed past on the Bosporus. Numerous trips to family in Baton Rouge and Seattle. Beach trips with family and friends on the Gulf Coast. Kuehn/Salatino family reunions in Washington State and Gulf Shores. Travels around Europe-Paris (six times over the years and planning to go back), Prague, Vienna (staying with forever friend Lynda), Cologne, Trier, et al. River cruises on the Danube and Rhine with sister Frances, forever friends Sissy and Karen, and a host of Baton Rouge friends. The old couple's bucket list is still long and Libet was looking forward to more travels. In November 2023, she contracted a virulent COVID and resultant infections (despite having the full regimen of vaccines) which damaged her heart and required a valve replacement. After several trips to St. Joseph Hospital in Mishawaka, she finally was able to go to Cleveland Clinic in hopes of surgery. But it was not to be. On the evening of 29 December her heart stopped beating and despite herculean efforts by her medical team she could not be revived. God took her home at 12:57am on 30 December 2023. Libet is remembered by Rob; John; Michelle; Jack; Anne; Frances; Johnny; the Kuehn/Salatino in-laws, nieces, and nephews; the Monroe family nieces and nephews; the Hochenedel family nieces, nephews, and cousins; and the host of forever friends whom she loved dearly and who loved her. Family and friends will celebrate a Mass of Christian Burial for Libet in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at Notre Dame beginning at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, 11 January 2024, with interment to follow at Notre Dame's Cedar Grove Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Alzheimer's Association, Wounded Warrior Project, Medicins Sans Frontiers, or your favorite charity. Rest in peace Dearest One.