Gerald V. “Jerry” Kuckelman, 78, longtime Atchison businessman, died Wednesday, January 28, 2015, at his residence surrounded by his loving family.

Mass of Christian burial will be Monday, February 2, 2015, at 10:30 A.M at St. Benedict’s Church with Rev. Gabriel Landis, O.S.B. as celebrant. Interment will follow in Mt. Calvary Cemetery. A parish and Knights of Columbus rosary will be recited on Sunday, February 1, at 3:00 P.M. in the chapel of Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home with visitation to follow until 5:00 P.M.  Memorial contributions are suggested to St. Benedict School Endownent, Maur Hill-Mount Academy, or Atchison Hospice and may be left in care of the funeral home.  Online condolences may be left at www.arensbergpruett.com.  

Jerry was born February 17, 1936 in Effingham, Kansas, the son of John Francis and Margaret Sauer Kuckelman.  He attended St. Ann’s Catholic Elementary School in Effingham and graduated from Atchison County Community High School in 1954.

He and Virginia L. Pickman were united in marriage on June 17, 1957 at St. Patrick’s Church south of Atchison.  Mrs. Kuckelman survives of the couple’s home in Atchison.

Jerry and Virginia founded Jerry’s Restaurant in Atchison in 1964 and worked side by side in the restaurant, as well as each of their children at young ages, irrespective of child labor laws.  Jerry and Virginia sold the restaurant in 1995 and retired.  Following retirement he assisted in the hot lunch program at Atchison Catholic School and at his daughter’s restaurant, Jerry’s Again.

Jerry was a member of St. Benedict Parish where he and his wife and two other members of the church became the first in the Kansas City, Kansas diocese to serve as lay Eucharistic Ministers, he also had served as a lector and formerly a member of the parish council.  He was a member of Sacred Heart Council #723 of the Knights of Columbus where he formerly served as a Grand Knight, District Deputy and a candidate for office in the Supreme Council.  Jerry was a member of William T. Jochems General Assembly #1716 of Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus serving in the office of Faithful Navigator and commander of the honor guard.  Jerry had served as a member and former president of the St. Benedict’s Catholic School Board, parent club of Maur Hill Prep School, and he and his family were host to foreign students from both Maur Hill and Academy of Mount St. Scholastica Schools.  Together he and Virginia were awarded the honor of Kansas State Council Family of the Year by Knights of Columbus and family of the year in the early 1970’s by Atchison Kiwanis Club.  In September of 2014 they were awarded the Fidelis Award by the League of St. Maur for their many years of contributions and work in catholic schools and the Atchison community.

In earlier years, Jerry and Virginia would freely invite sisters of Mount St. Scholastica from Atchison to join them for breakfast following Mass along with their children at Nickerson Farms Restaurant near Kansas City.

Jerry is survived by his wife, Virginia Kuckelman of Atchison, three sons, Gerald R. “Jerry” (Patricia) Kuckelman, Atchison, KS, Michael “Mike” (Jo Ellen) Kuckelman, Olathe, KS, John F. (Melissa) Kuckelman, Indianapolis, IN, three daughters, Deborah “Debbie” (Patrick) McLaughlin, St. Louis, MO, Theresa (Kevin) McDermed, Atchison, KS, Elizabeth “Liz” (Terry) Wagner, Atchison, KS, four brothers, Leonard Kuckelman, Metaire, LA, Karl Kuckelman, San Antonio, TX, Donald Kuckelman, Topeka, KS, Claire Kuckelman, Olathe, KS, a sister, Helen Thompson, North Kansas City, MO, and sixteen grandchildren.