Edward George Kunkel

To Edward George Kunkel, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, he was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around him, he seemed to be eternally happy, and he willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life he touched. For Edward, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, he could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Edward really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Edward was born on July 3, 1936 at Oshawa General Hospital in Oshawa, Ontario. His parents were Margaret and Fred Kunkel. Edward was raised in Oshawa, Ontario. Even as a child, Edward had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around him. He was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. He couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. He was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, he succeeded in entertaining his entire family.

Always a good playmate, Edward was easygoing and fun loving. He managed to lighten the mood wherever he was, even during family squabbles. He seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Edward managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Edward was raised with one sibling. He had a younger sister, Dallas Gibson.

All of Edward's playful good humour carried over into his childhood. He was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed him to be constantly on the go. As a result, Edward experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited him very well. He took part in Sea Cadets sailing and was also Scout. In his spare time he liked collecting coins and stamps. One of Edward's memorable achievements included getting 99 % grade in History.

Ask anyone who knew him from school and they would tell you that Edward was a class “cut-up.” He didn’t do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, Edward simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of his friends and acquaintances having a good time. It could be said that for Edward, grades may not have been the most important thing to him, but he really did enjoy his school experience. Since experience was Edward's best teacher. He enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory.” Edward attended de la salle College, Toronto for grade 9 & 10, and the Oshawa Central Collegiate for grade 11, 12 & 13. He graduated in 1954. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favourite classes and teachers. His favourite class in high school was History. The teacher he enjoyed learning from the most was Brother Damian at St. Gregory's School.

Edward never actually encountered a stranger in his dealings with people. He was drawn to individuals and crowds, using his gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate his audience. This quality allowed Edward to continually develop new relationships, ever widening his circle of friends. Edward delighted in his role among all his acquaintances, because he viewed them all as potential spectators for his performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Edward was always right at home putting on a show among his friends. Edward utilized his interest in others as a great way to connect with them. While growing up, some of his best friends were Bob McIntrye, David Smith, Chuck Hill, Bob Matthews and Norma Clancy. Edward loved sharing life and having his home filled with people he knew.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Edward very easy to approach. On June 7th, 1958 Edward exchanged wedding vows with Jean Mary Zedic at Holy Cross Church in Oshawa, Ontario. He tried hard not to impose on his spouse. He was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

Perhaps the reason Edward related so well to children was the fact that he never really completely grew up himself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped him in raising his own children. Edward was blessed with five children, Shannon, Todd, Shawn, Michelle and Kevin. He was also blessed with six grandchildren, Jenna, Luke, Kelsie, Lindsay, Addison and Nathan and a great grandson Riley. Edward had the ability to focus his attention on the present moment. If he was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of his attention was directed. Edward's compassionate side prevented him from being a strict disciplinarian, and he could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. He could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Edward had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

At work, as in life, Edward was a real “people person.” He had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and his enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Edward liked to see himself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Edward was an adaptable realist, using his common sense and trusting his experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Edward's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around him to see Edward as an excellent problem solver. His primary occupation was a General Foreman at General Motors. He was employed for over 30 years, starting in G. M. Office and then moved over to Material Handling.

Edward was a Lt. Col. in the Ontario Regiment from 1969 - 1973.

Edward enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Edward liked creating and making things. His favourite pursuits were collecting coins and stamps also he loved to sail and go for boat rides. Edward was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Edward felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if he wasn’t the best, Edward loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Edward relished the opportunities where he could make an impact, and he would often push himself to play above his abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Edward never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. Recreational sports included golf and sailing. Edward was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favourite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were Hockey, Baseball, Basketball, Golf, the Olympics, basically all sports.

Edward had an endless appetite for new and different activities. He was always ready to join in the fun and add his flair and energy to an organization. Because of his personality, his humour, and his ability to get along with everyone, Edward's service was greatly valued by the organizations to which he belonged. Throughout his later years, Edward was an active member of the Knights of Columbus and the GM Retirees Club.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Edward recognized that his faith was important to him throughout his life. He was a member Holy Cross Church for over 30 years and St. Gertrude's Church for over 40 years. During that time, he was a Deacon at Holy Cross and a Deacon at St. Gertrudes.

Living life in the fast lane suited Edward just fine. It is no surprise that he loved to travel and to visit new and different places. He was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. He was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favourite vacations included an Alaskan Cruise and a trip out west.

Edward was a lover of animals and cherished his pets, enjoying them almost as much as he enjoyed being around other people. One of Edward's favourite pet was a dog named Ringo.

Edward believed that you had to experience life, and his life in retirement was no different. When that day finally arrived in 1986, Edward took it in stride as one more way to have fun. With his boundless energy and a desire to get the most out of life, Edward remained busy with people and projects. In retirement, he found new pleasure in being very active in the Church. Even in retirement, Edward continued to stay in touch with his old friends and, since he'd never met a stranger, he made plenty of new acquaintances as well.

Edward passed away on July 28, 2016 at Lakeridge Health Oshawa, Ontario. He fought a brave battle against MS, diabetes and cancer. He is survived by his children Shannon, Todd, Shawn, Michelle and Kevin and his grandchildren Jenna, Luke, Kelsie, Lindsay, Addison and Nathan, his great grandson Riley. Services were held at Oshawa Funeral Home. Edward was laid to rest in Resurrection Cemetery, Whitby, Ontario.

Edward brought joy to all of those around him. He never had a mean bone in his body. He loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. He loved to share his energy, wit, and his zest for all of his activities with his friends and family. Edward George Kunkel lived life to its fullest and made everyone around him happier just for knowing him. He will be remembered with a smile.

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KUNKEL, Edward George

(Lieutenant Colonel, Ontario Regiment, Member of Knights of Columbus, G.M. Employee for over 30 years)

Entered into the Kingdom of God and reunited with his wife Jean in Oshawa on Thursday, July 28th, 2016 at the age of 80. Loving father of Shannon (husband Steve), Todd, Shawn, Michelle (partner Megan) and Kevin. Will be fondly remembered by his Grandchildren Jenna (husband Collin), Luke, Kelsie, Lindsay, Addison, Nathan and Great Grandpa to Riley. Dear brother of Dallas and Allan Gibson. Sadly missed by many nieces and nephews. A special Thank You to the nurses and staff at Palliative Care – Lakeridge Health –Oshawa for their loving care, and PAC and St. Elizabeth nurses for all the years they cared for Ed. Visitation will be held at the OSHAWA FUNERAL HOME, 847 King Street West, (905-721-1234) on Tuesday, August 2nd, from 2 – 4 & 7 – 9 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at ST. GERTRUDE’S CATHOLIC CHURCH (690 King Street East) on Wednesday, August 3rd at 11:00 a.m. Interment at Resurrection Cemetery. Reception to follow at Oshawa Funeral Home. Donations to the Multiple Sclerosis Society would be appreciated.

“Jesus I Trust In You”