Julius Michael Kunz

Julius Michael Kunz, almost 92, passed away on February 12, 2025, at his home in Centerville, Ohio. 

Born on February 14, 1933, in Brooklyn, New York, to Julius M. Kunz and Sonia Hummel Kunz, he lived in Brooklyn then Middletown, NY where he graduated from high school in 1950. He was a Life Long Boy Scout and Explorer Scout. After high School, he attended Rutgers University for two years studying electrical engineering before becoming a USAF Aviation Cadet, he then began aircraft training at Harlingen Air Force Base, Texas. Completing this, he entered Flight engineer Training at Ellington AFB, (Houston) Texas and he then continued at Mather AFB, (Sacramento) California. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in 1954, and he got the Air Force Observer Wings. His first assignment was flight engineer on RB-36 bombers with the Strategic Air Command at Ramey AFB in Puerto Rico. After a year, he was promoted to First Engineer, then next year, he was elevated to Instructor Engineer (at that time he was 23 and the youngest Instructor Engineer in the Air Force). He was promoted to First Lieutenant. In 1959, he was assigned to Florida State University for two semesters to complete the requirements for a BA in Social Science. He was assigned to Mather AFB, California for navigation school, then was assigned to Charleston AFB, South Carolina and promoted to Captain. He was assigned to Officer School at Maxwell AFB, Montgomery, Alabama in 1961. He flew several missions supporting United Nations operations in the Belgian Congo. In 1962, he was assigned for two years to the University of Colorado in Boulder under the Institute of Technology Civilian Institute Program. He volunteered for Vietnam from November 1967 through September 1968, assigned to Phan Rang Base where he was a navigator for AC-47 night combat Gunships. He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with seven Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm Leaf and Silver Star. Julius traveled to many countries while in the Air Force and retired in 1971 as a Lieutenant Colonel in the reserves. He then began working from 1972 to 1989 for the DoD Civil Service as an Electronics Engineer, Supervisory Industrial Specialist and Supervisory General Engineer for Defense Contracts Administration Services doing contract administration and technical evaluation. He married to Marlene Miller of Middletown, Ohio, in 1957, and they had three children, John Kunz, Fay Kunz Greer (Mark) and Connie Kunz Sroufe (Mike). They moved many times as his military assignments were changed. His military life kept him away from home a great deal, but he tried to be with his children as much as he could. He was proud of being a Boy Scout scoutmaster for Troop 1 in Middletown, OH, for many years. After their divorce, Julius met Jill Josupeit at DESC while he worked at DCAS. They were married in 1980 and had daughter Katherine Kunz (Justin Pauls) in 1981. He was blessed with grandchildren Josh Deaton, deceased, Alex Sroufe (Lauren), Katie Sroufe (Connor Wechter), Jessie Greer Caldwell (Percy), and Clifton Greer (Brook Potter), Mallory and Beckett Pauls and Rosie Kunz, and great grandchildren Holden Greer, Noah and Naomi Caldwell and Morgan Sroufe. 

He enjoyed running and bicycling to stay fit. While snow skiing during his many years with the Dayton Ski Club, he traveled to many ski areas in the states, Canada and Europe, and also enjoyed their many social events, making many friends. Thanks to his daughter, Kat, being involved in folk music, he went to the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in upstate New York for 20 years. Every year, for five days, he greatly enjoyed tent camping, porta-potties, great music, making so very many friends and helping to create Shantytowne, a tent village of many people within the festival. As a member of the Dayton Art Institute, he went to their many art showings and especially liked their Oktoberfest. 

His whole life, he was ready to help wherever he could, never angry, finding humor everywhere, was an intelligent, interesting, peaceful man. 

He will be Inurned at Woodland Cemetery Mausoleum with a Celebration of His Life to be held at Hope Hotel and Conference Center on March 15, 2-6 PM, 10823 Chidlaw Rd.,# A, Dayton, OH 45433. 

If desired, make a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association or Ohio Hospice of Dayton.

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