Elizabeth Inghram Kuhn

If you knew Elizabeth “Beth” Inghram Kuhn, you were charmed by her fun-loving, generous, creative and curious personality, always happy to try new things and meet new people. Her teaching background gave her a deep well of patience and energy. She always followed through. She was easy to smile, commonly offered random acts of kindness, and believed in the goodness in people. She could make anyone feel comfortable, and used laughter and compassion generously. Beth reached out to communities in need around the Visalia area for over 45 years, volunteering through community and church outreach initiatives that promoted respect, shelter and dignity for the homeless. She was active in several community, volunteer and social activities. She was a vestry member and volunteer at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. She was an active quilter and card player in several social groups. She enjoyed the arts, and supported Arts Visalia, the Icehouse Theatre, and other local creative and children’s’ programs. Beth enjoyed 45 years of joyful marriage, attentive care and plenty of adventure with her best friend and loving husband Russell Paul Kuhn. Travels took them through western Europe and the UK, West Africa, Honduras, China, Fiji, Alaska, and overland across the U.S. and Canada on several vacations. Beth and Russ met at a mutual friend’s house in Marina del Rey, California where he was an engineer studying law at UCLA, and she was a young and beautiful teacher in Redondo Beach. After some to and fro, they married in December 1968 on the shortest night of the year – a constant source of ribbing for the couple over the years. Russ and Beth moved to Visalia in 1977 and built a cabin near Camp Nelson in the Sequoia National Forest soon after. They built lasting memories in that cabin with friends and family, and they will both rest for eternity at the cabin’s meadow of wildflowers and apple trees. In Visalia, Beth was a teacher at Union Elementary School in Visalia for 37 years. Though there were opportunities to leave for more comfortable schools, she was committed to teaching children and positively influencing the Valley’s often under-served families. One of Beth’s great joys was discovering former students around town across the decades, all expressing fond memories of their time together. Beth and Russ have two happy and adventurous sons. David lives in Sydney, Australia with his wife Ting and Beth’s two grandchildren, Olivia and Coen. Matt lives in Visalia, and is raising Beth’s three grandchildren, Wes, Violet and Lily. Near or far, Beth holds a very special place at the center of the family’s heart and home; she was a ‘hands-on’ grandma, often playing games, schooling at home, taking short trips, and embarking on lots of projects and hobbies. Beth’s mother Blossom Douthit Moeur was a fighting spirit and influence for Beth while they lived in Sioux Falls, South Dakota during Beth’s younger years. Beth’s father Benjamin Inghram was a fighter pilot, shot down over the Pacific Ocean during World War II at age 28. He is honored on the World War II Memorial wall in Washington, D.C. and in Honolulu, Hawaii as Missing in Action. Inspired by the magazine Arizona Highways, the small family moved to Phoenix, Arizona in the mid 1950s. Beth lived with her grandmother during high school until her college days at the University of Arizona. Beth has 4 younger stepsiblings, with the next oldest, Kelly Gerard, 15 years her junior, followed by sisters Jackie Martin, Patty South and brother Richard Moeur – all of whom have happy and bustling families in Arizona and New Mexico. Beth was born on January 10, 1944, and passed comfortably at home on June 27, 2022, with family and attentive care at her side. She once told family she loved the idea of passing with a smile on her face. She is smiling still. A memorial service will be held on Saturday July 16, 2022, 1PM at St Paul’s Episcopal Church. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made out to St Paul’s Episcopal Church “In loving memory of Beth Kuhn.” Donations will support the many community and social initiatives for which Beth volunteered.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.millerchapel.com for the Kuhn family.