Thomas Kunz

1930 - 2021

Thomas M. Kunz
November 25, 1930 - September 27, 2021
Thomas Michael Kunz, 90, passed away peacefully on September 27, 2021 in Walnut Creek, CA. He joins his beloved wife of 56 years, Anne Marie, who passed away in 2009. He is survived by his six children and their spouses, Tom and his wife Joyce, Eileen and her husband Doug, Kathleen and her husband Glen, Mary and her husband David, Bill and his wife Miyuki, Mike and his wife Valerie. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Jennifer, Jessica, Christina, Michael, Grace, Matthew, Maya, Tomo and Julianna; and five great grandchildren. He was also preceded in death by his daughter Suzanne, his parents William and Anne Kunz, and his brother, William D. Kunz.

Thomas was born on November 25, 1930 in Oakland, CA and graduated from St. Vincent's High School in Vallejo, CA. He then attended the University of California where he majored in Business Administration with an Accounting emphasis, graduating in 1952. After serving in the U.S. Army for 2 years, over half of which was spent in occupied West Germany, he began a 30-year career at John F. Forbes & Co. in San Francisco. He ultimately served as the Managing Partner before it merged with KMG Main Hurdman (now part of KPMG). He was an advocate for public education and served on various advisory boards for the School of Business at Cal during his professional career.

His love of family, belief in education, interest in world affairs, and passion for sports were among the cornerstones of his life. He and his wife provided unending support for the varied academic pursuits of their children and he stepped in to coach his children's softball and baseball teams when called upon. He was a life-long fan of the Bay Area sports teams, the Giants, 49ers and Warriors, and, above all, the California Golden Bears, making home games a family outing and often reminding his children (and others) that the Bears went to three Rose Bowls during his time on campus. He played golf into his late 70s, enjoying the camaraderie with family and friends even when the game frustrated him. After retirement, he was devoted to caring for his wife and became known as a great cook to his grandchildren, with Sunday and holiday dinners remaining a cherished event in the family. He loved listening to classical music and was an avid reader, enjoying historical books and spy novels into his 90s.

Special thanks to his long-time physicians, Dr. Tighe O'Hanrahan and Dr. Michael Brown, and to the BrightStar home care agency caregivers who loved him for his independent spirit and sense of humor.

A private memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland, UC Berkeley HAAS School of Business, and the Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano.