Lawrence Kuhnert, Jr., 93, Atchison, Kansas, died Sunday, May 21, 2023, surrounded by his loving family.

Funeral services will be Friday, May 26, 2023, at 10:30 A.M. at Trinity Lutheran Church, with Pastor Marty Reed, officiating. Interment will follow in Sunset Memory Gardens. Visitation with the family will be Thursday, May 25th from 5:30 until 7:30 P.M. at the Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home. Memorial contributions are suggested to Trinity Lutheran School Grant Fund and may be left in care of the funeral home. Condolences and words of remembrance may be left at www.arensbergpruett.com.

Junior was born October 4, 1929, the only child of Lawrence Theodore Kuhnert, Sr., and Wanda Ida (Klein) Kuhnert. He grew up north of Atchison in the Good Intent community having attended Independence Valley Grade School, Good Intent one room school and graduated from Atchison County Community High School in 1947.

On May 4, 1952, he and Mary Page were married at Trinity Lutheran Church in Atchison, Kansas. They were married over 71 years making a great life in Good Intent Community.

A lifelong member of Trinity Lutheran Church. He served as an usher and on the Finance committee for the church.

Junior was a farmer his entire life, not only just growing row crops but also raising livestock. In 1995, he was awarded the Kansas Association Award for Soil Conservation. He understood the meaning of hard work but also knew that it took a community and was there for many of his friends over the years to lend a hand. Work didn’t define his life, he enjoyed bowling in various leagues over the years, going on trips to the casino, be it an afternoon outing or even a bus trip to Iowa. He had many talents and one was understanding the art of the deal, he wouldn’t hesitate to negotiate a price down to get a better deal. Junior served on the Good Intent School Board and the Atchison County Livestock Board. He was one of the founding members of the Shannon Volunteer Fire Department and served for 40 years. Junior could be seen most every morning going for his “tour” of the neighborhood. His red truck or Ranger were a staple of the Good Intent roads often going at slower speeds and typically stopped in the road visiting with a friend. Above all he loved his family, grandkids were great but great grandchildren were his world, to see him light up when they would come for a visit was priceless, and every visit would end with a “now come back and see me!”

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife of 71 years, Mary Kuhnert, four daughters, Cathy (Alan) Higley, Cummings, KS, Patty Field, Atchison, KS, Diane Kautz, Atchison, KS, Carol (James) Hale, eight grandchildren, Candice (Ed) Jenkins, DeKalb, MO, Tara (Charlie) Wilburn, Omaha, NE, Stacey (Craig) Handke, Atchison, KS, Jeff (Tiffany) Hale, Atchison, KS, Gus (Ashley) Kautz, Atchison, KS, Amy Hale, Atchison, KS, Travis (Kelsey) Higley, Cummings, KS, Kelly (Andrew) Peuker, Atchison, KS, twenty two great grandchildren and four step great grandchildren.

Those who have gone before him include his parents, a son-in-law, Lynn Field and a grandson, Curtis Wade Field.