Robert Kukuvka

Robert Stephen Kukuvka, 92, formerly of Eynon, Pennsylvania and Korean War veteran, died November 24, 2025 at Morristown Medical Center, Morristown, New Jersey after a sudden illness. Before passing, he resided at Merry Heart Assisted Living, Succasunna, New Jersey since August 2021.
He lived in Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey for nearly 30 years before moving to Rockaway, New Jersey in 1988.
Born February 11, 1933 in Scranton, Pennsylvania Robert was the only child of the late Stephen J. and Mary C. Witko Kukuvka. His maternal grandparents, Paul and Rose Hmelyar Witko, immigrants from Plavnica, Presov Region, Slovakia, founded Witko's
Hotel in Eynon, a popular tavern and restaurant later operated by their two daughters until his mother's retirement in 1992; the business is under new ownership and known as Tiffany's Tap and Grill.
While growing up, he was a parishioner of and altar server at Holy Ghost Roman Catholic Church, Olyphant, Pennsylvania, the parish where his maternal grandparents were amongst the founding Slovak families. Robert's maternal grandfather was one of
the men who trenched the foundation for the new church, at night, after a full day's work. While living in Lake Hopatcong, he was a parishioner of and lector at Our Lady Star of the Sea Roman Catholic Church and then a parishioner of Saint Cecilia
Roman Catholic Church, Rockaway.
Robert was educated in Archbald Public Schools, Archbald, Holy Ghost Parish School, Olyphant, and graduated in 1950 from Blakely High School, Peckville, all in Pennsylvania. During high school he worked part-time for the U.S. Postal Service in Eynon's post office.
Following high school, while attending college and working part-time at Daystrom Instruments, Archbald, he was inspired observing engineers engaged in research, development, and design of electromechanical and mechanical devices. After
starting The Pennsylvania State University in pursuit of an mechanical engineering degree, Robert was drafted by the U.S. Army for service in the Korean War and trained at Fort Meade and Aberdeen Proving Ground, both in Maryland; Camp Chafee,
Barling, Arkansas; and Fort Hood, Killeen, Texas. While completing firing control instrument training at Fort Hood, he traveled throughout Texas as a ROTC recruiter. After completing training, Robert was notified of his assignment to the Far East
Command which took him to Fort Irwin, near Barstow, California, and then to Seoul, Korea by ship. Robert was deployed to the active front line battle zones in the mountainous Chorwon and Kumwha Valleys, Gangwon Province, about 50 miles northeast of Seoul. As a firing control instrument specialist, 21 st Ordnance Company, his responsibilities included calibrating binoculars, range finders, and sniper scopes plus medium and large artillery. In 1955, then a part of the 38 th Ordnance Company, he returned by ship to California followed by cross country train to Fort Meade, where he was honorably discharged as acting sergeant and rank corporal; he qualified for and was offered admittance to the U.S. Army Officer Candidate School, which he
declined. For his service, Robert was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, Korean Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and United Nations Service Medal.
After returning home from Fort Meade, he resumed university studies and graduated in 1956 from The Pennsylvania State University with a mechanical engineering degree.
Robert's entire working career was spent at Picatinny Arsenal, Dover, New Jersey from 1956, initially working for the U.S. Navy, to retirement in 1993. He worked either for the U.S. Army or U.S. Navy in roles requiring frequent travel to government laboratories and testing sites such as the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground, U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command, near Yuma, Arizona, one of the largest military installations in the world.
His expertise included rocket propulsion and engine design for the U.S. Navy; manufacturing technology and explosives testing for large caliber ammunition for NASA; and smart munitions and rocket technology used in Copperhead missilery during the Persian Gulf War. He retired as Project Engineer, Energetic Systems, Process Division, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Army. During his career, Robert received awards recognizing his contributions in research and engineering including high achievement citations conferred on less than one percent of the civilian workforce.
In addition to professional work, he used his skills to design a number of private residences, including for his own family, and for Frank and Mark Schwarz Realtors in the Prospect Point community of Lake Hopatcong. During the 1970s, Robert was a
product design drafter for Pokorny Sales and Manufacturing Company, Lake Hopatcong, a leader in the OEM relay business serving both small and large corporations such as Chrysler and General Motors.
He and his wife, Catherine, enjoyed traveling and toured most of the United States, British Columbia, Canada, and Europe including Austria, Germany, Italy including Sicily, and Switzerland. Together they enjoyed entertaining at home, attending live
stage and musical productions in New York City, and the company of their families and many longtime friends. He took great pleasure in telling funny jokes to their children and grandchildren and fishing stories to anyone willing to listen. Robert was an
accomplished gardener and especially enjoyed vegetable gardening, the products of his efforts often incorporated in Catherine's homemade dishes.
His passion was fishing. An avid fresh water angler since childhood, Robert fished year-round in lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams while home or when traveling on business or for personal pleasure; he happily taught others how to fish including
some of his children and grandchildren. He was an expert at fly tying, the process of designing and producing artificial flies for fly fishing, and wrote articles for a variety of local and national publications on the sport of fresh water fishing; he was an active
member of the Rod & Gun Club, Picatinny Arsenal, and Rockaway Township Sportsmen Club.
He was a humble man requiring little fanfare, a steadfast patriot at heart and in action, honored to serve in the U.S. Army, took great pride in the professional work he contributed to his country, was devoted to his faith, and loved his family and friends.
Robert is survived by his wife of 37 years, Catherine Ferrone Kukuvka, and his three children: Mark A. Kufka, Fairfax, Virginia, David R. (Kerry) Kukuvka, Pompton Plains, New Jersey and Barbara Ann K. (Michael) Herda, Dover; seven grandchildren and two
great-grandchildren; several nephews and cousins including Andrea Horuzy Puletti, Midlothian, Virginia, his spiritual sister with whom he was raised; two step-children: Cynthia V. (Thomas) Mulligan, Rockaway, and Robert (Lori) Veselovec, Union, Kentucky; and four step-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Funeral arrangements by Whitham-Kanapaux Funeral Home, 20 Keller Avenue, Rockaway NJ. There will be no viewing or gathering at the funeral home before mass.
Mass of Christian Burial at Saint Cecilia Roman Catholic Church, Rockaway will be at 10:00 a.m., Friday, December 5, 2025.
At a later date, interment will take place at his parents' family plot located at Holy Ghost Cemetery, Blakely, Pennsylvania.
The family requests and would appreciate memorial contributions to his favorite charities: Sisters of Saints Cyril and Methodius; or to: Maria Joseph Manor, 875 Montour Boulevard, Pennsylvania 17821 or SSCM.org