Lysod J. Kunkel
Lysod and her late husband Ray come from generations of Lutherans in central Pennsylvania and, before that, in Germany. So, it was obvious that Lysod and Ray would be brought up in the same small Lutheran church (St. Paul’s Lutheran) in Beaver Meadows, Pennsylvania and attend Sunday School, church, and Luther League together. Lysod’s great-uncle was a church organist and musician and, since she was the only pianist in the family, she inherited his baby grand piano, which she still plays today. After Ray returned from his naval service in the Pacific during World War II, they were also married in their hometown church.
Lysod loves the Lutheran church. When they moved to Bridgewater, New Jersey to find work and raise their family, the closest Lutheran church was in Plainfield, so they became instrumental in forming Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Somerville and were charter members there. Their three children, Louise, Leah, and Ray were brought up at Good Shepherd and Lysod served on Council in many capacities, sang in the choir, was Sunday School Superintendent, led Vacation Bible School for many years, was president of the Lutheran Church Women, and participated in the variety shows and plays that the church produced. In 1999, Lysod and Ray decided that they wanted to worship with Louise’s and Leah’s families who had migrated out to Hunterdon County and joined Zion many years before. So, Lysod and Ray joined the Zion family and became involved in worship, choir, ushering, greeting, and all the various Parish Life events that Zion held. They got to see many of their grandchildren’s first communions, confirmations, weddings and baptisms here at Zion.
Lysod loves to travel. Every summer, the family would set off on three to four week camping trips to see the country and, when the camping trips ended, the family had just missed three states: Alaska, Hawaii, and Oklahoma. After retirement, Lysod and Ray then began to travel all around the world, meeting people who became instant friends. Their favorite place, though, was and still remains, Maine, and Lysod and Ray bought a piece of property on Flying Pond (that came with a boat) and began a building project that became their summer home (“camp” in Maine parlance). After Ray’s retirement from American Cyanamid and Lysod’s retirement from school bus driving for Branchburg Township, they spent six months in Maine and the winter months in Bridgewater. Lysod still continues that tradition today and hosts her entire family for the Fourth of July Boat Parade and Lobster Bake and throughout the entire summer. Wednesdays, however, are reserved for golf, and cocktails and dinner with her golf group. Lysod and Ray took up golf later in life, but loved being out on courses wherever they traveled, and Lysod’s love of the game continues.
Most of all, Lysod loves family. Her three children and their spouses, Louise and Staats, Leah and David, and Ray and Ginny could and can always depend on the love and support of their mother. She never misses a graduation, play, concert, athletic event, or any other significant accomplishment of her seven grandchildren, Colin, Kaitlin, Devin, Reed, Owen, Dale and Heidi and now that is extended to their partners Kim, Joe, Angie, Kristi, and Allison. Now, she also enjoys seeing the family extend another generation with her six great-grandchildren, Chloe, Nate, Luna, Zoey, Harper, and Libby. As some of the kids’ tee shirts say, “Life is Good!”
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