Richard A. Kuhl, 81

Richard A. Kuhl died on March 17, 2019, in Kalispell after several months battling amyloidosis.

Richard was born April 10, 1938, in Three Bridges, New Jersey, the son of Margaret Wieland and William V. F. Kuhl.

He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Marylane Pannell, daughter Kendra Pannell Kuhl (Luke Oltrogge), grandchildren Clara and Connelly Pannell Oltrogge, and siblings Bev Hobday (Owen Hooley) of Stockton, New Jersey, and John Kuhl of Pittstown, New Jersey.

Richard was preceded in death by his son Walker Pannell Kuhl, and brother Frank Kuhl.

He grew up in Three Bridges where he had a happy and carefree childhood. He played baseball at Flemington High School and then went on to attend Penn State. After earning a history degree, Richard served in the U.S. Army for two years before he headed West. He worked for the Forest Service building trail and fighting wildland fires among other duties. In particular he spent a significant amount of time in the Kootenai and Selway-Bitteroot National Forests and developed an enduring love and commitment to wildness and open spaces. During the off season he’d take what money he earned, buy a bus pass, and ramble around the country seeking out wild places.

Some of his favorite places his travels took him were Grand Canyon and Big Bend National Parks — both particularly beautiful in springtime. In the summer of 1966, he backpacked the entire Appalachian Trail (2,200 miles from Georgia to Maine). Richard enjoyed time alone contemplating life; some may have called him a loner.

In the late ‘70s he decided to go back to school in Missoula where he met Marylane. They got to know each other through racquetball, softball, bike touring, hiking and backpacking. They moved to Kalispell in 1979 where Marylane took a job as librarian at Linderman School and were married a year later. Richard continued to work as a wilderness ranger at the Moose Creek Ranger Station in the Selway-Bitterroot from late spring into the fall.

Kendra and Walker were born in 1981 and 1983. They spent their first summers in the wilderness at Moose Creek and Fish Lake Ranger Stations, where Richard was working, over 20 miles from the nearest road. He stayed home during the winter months and took care of them until they started school. Richard continued his love of exploration and the outdoors with his family. Each summer they would embark on epic road trips across the country. Richard had three rules: no more than 200 miles per day, no traveling on the Interstate, and a budget of $80 per day.

Richard retired from the Forest Service and worked construction, tree thinning, and other odd jobs before becoming a math tutor at Flathead High School. There he shared his love of math with students to help them get through a difficult subject. He would often bring problems home to do with Kendra and Walker in the evening and they quickly learned not to ask him for help with their homework because he would spend longer explaining the ins and outs of the subject than it would take them to figure out the answers themselves. In his later years he would spend time doing math problems, watching lectures, and reading books on theoretical physics.

Richard contributed his time to a number of local organizations, including the Montana Wilderness Association, Flathead Democratic Party, Friends of Lawrence Park, Flathead Audubon, Friends of the Library and Flathead Land Trust. In the last few years, he doubled the size of his garden and spent more and more time in an unending war with knapweed at Lone Pine State Park. He was the first (and only) recipient of the Golden Glove Award for his efforts.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Flathead Land Trust or uprooting a knapweed next time you see it.

A celebration of Richard’s life will be held at 11 a.m. on April 6 at the Northridge Lutheran Church in Kalispell.