Elaine Kuhl

Waynesville, Elaine Leach Kuhl, age 80, died Thursday, May 22, 2008 at home with her family. She was a native of Baltimore, Maryland and was the daughter of the late Helen Hopkins and Charles William Leach. She was also preceded in death by her husband of 51 years, Richard Joseph Kuhl and a sister, Joyce Leach Alexander. She was a graduate of Eastern High School in Baltimore, MD, St. Mary's Junior College and John Hopkins Hospital School of Nursing where she received an R.N. Degree. She completed her studies with a B.S. Degree in Nursing at John Hopkins University. Elaine spent a lifetime of volunteer work beginning with the League of Women Voters and the Headstart Program in Chicago, IL. She continued with the American Women's Association in Jakarta, Indonesia and was instrumental in bringing Braille typewriters and books to educate students at the School for the Blind. Upon her arrival in Waynesville over 22 years ago, Elaine tutored reading with the Literacy Council and then continued to volunteer locally with KARE, eventually becoming an AmeriCorps VISTA Leader. Over the last decade, she has worked with Mountain Projects, culminating with her most recent position as the Director of Volunteer Services with the Haywood-Jackson Volunteer Center. She retired in February. In 2003, she received the Elaine Kuhl Outstanding Volunteer Award, which continues to be awarded to the outstanding volunteer in the community each year. She is survived by two daughters, Ann Kuhl Rose of St. Charles, IL and Joan Kuhl Davis of Greencastle, IN; two sons, John Gardiner Kuhl of Dublin, CA and Peter Becket Kuhl of Long Beach, CA and six grandchildren. In addition, she is survived by the remaining "Golden Girls", Patricia Chalcraft Shope and Anna "Det" Dorsey. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at St. Margaret of Scotland Catholic Church in Maggie Valley with Father John T. Denny officiating. The family will receive friends from 12:30 until 2:00 p.m. at the church. Family and friends are invited to a reception at Murphy Garden Hall immediately following the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made in memory of Elaine L. Kuhl to the Haywood-Jackson Volunteer Center, 2143 Asheville Road, Waynesville, NC 28786.

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