Celebrant Pam Meily Vetter


	Celebrating Life Everyone Has A Story...

Leila Muriel Kuhn was born in Los Angeles to her parents Rosella and Arthur in 1925. She was raised with her sisters Jackie and Laurie. Leila was an avid reader, especially as a child. Sadly, her father passed away when she was a teenager. Her mother was a businesswoman who owned a CPA business. Leila met George Kuhn in high school when his sister, Betty, introduced them. They became high school sweethearts at Huntington High School. They balanced each other and George loved her.

Writing pages of her own memoir, Leila handwrote about her first work experiences: "It was 1942 and our country was involved in a World War. I had just graduated high school and was out to conquer the world. I thought I was pretty knowledgeable but in the ease of most youths, didn't know a thing. Many of the young men were going off to war (including my boyfriend, soon to be husband). A friend offered my sister-in-law and myself a job at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard as Welder's Helpers. We didn't know what the job entailed, but we were envious and I found out we'd earn our first paycheck. It was a hot August and our job was to walk in the metal sheds and pick up dropped welding rads. Of course, it was accompanied by jeers and leers of the male welders around us. We lasted one day. Our backs were sore the next day and we couldn't walk.

My next job was working in my step-father's service station. Back then in the 40's, there was 'service' in service stations. As I stated before, available man power was taken for the war. My job was to pump gas, wash windshields, put air in tires, and check water and oil. For a completely non-mechanical person this was quite a feat. To this day, I know how to do all those things in my car. The oil company supplied us with attractive navy jumper-overalls complete with the station's insignia. The station was in Seal Beach on PCH and we had many customers traveling south toward San Diego. One time I waited on the movie star, Randolph Scott. I was so in awe that I hardly said a word. I just remember him as handsome with a marvelous grin. I pumped gas and checked it at the station until I took a better paying job at McDonnell Douglas as a Department Clerk in the office in Building 1, constructing the B-17. My tenure there was two years and my husband returned from serving in the ground crew in North Africa and Italy. It was a great job – good paying and nice people to work for but stressful not knowing if my husband would make it home from the war."

George absolutely adored her. Leila and George had five children and they raised the kids in an 800 square foot home. As a young girl, one of Kathy's favorite memories was catching a bus to downtown Long Beach shopping and then having lunch at Buffums Tea Room. Leila always managed to keep the kids well-dressed. She would hit sales and buy the kids the latest styles. Even though there were five kids, they always managed to do fun things. They went on family picnics, trips to the Mountains, to Big Bear to sled in the snow and they'd go to drive-in movies. Leila was also the PTA President of their elementary school.

Leila wrote: "My last job was the most important as a stay at home mom raising five children. Little did I think that one of my sons, the oldest, would send me into the waiting game again as he completed a tour of duty in Vietnam. I remember the words of my mother-in-law, 'When they're little, they tread on your toes, later they tread on your heart.'"

Leila also wrote about her love of special holidays. She wrote of Thanksgiving Days Long Ago... "Thanksgiving has always meant to me a family get together with Turkey and all the trimmings. It brings back both sad and happy memories. I came from a very small family, but my husband was the only boy with four sisters. They always had a lovely-get-together. At first my in-laws would host the holidays and my mother-in-law was a wonderful cook. A hard act to follow. She made her own pies, bread and even noodles. She made it seem so easy. In those days, there weren't store bought goods and availability to Price or Sam's Club and when there was, who could afford it. My children still talk of her wonderful pie crusts and chicken and noodles. Her entire house smelled of 'Welcome, come in and enjoy.' There were always many children and new babies to hold and take care of.

After the father passed away, all of the sisters and myself would take turns having Thanksgiving and Christmas depending on who had room. Our five children still remember being lectured before we left home on being quiet and having manners. The children loved it at Aunt Betty's who had children their age and not many rules.

When it was my turn to cook the bird (especially the first time) it was like a wrestling match with three falls out of four. The biggest challenge was to have everything done and served hot at the same time. I improved with every turkey. This was my job for many years. Now that I'm alone, my children take turns to be the hostess. And I'm usually the designated gravy maker. Somehow, no one learned how. Thanksgiving still means food and family, and happy times. But it also means sadness, thinking of those no longer with us except happy memories."

Leila didn't get her driver's license until Kathy got her driver's license. In fact, they got them at the same time. Working part-time, Leila was an Avon lady for more than 50 years. She earned awards and recognition for her dedication and service to Avon. Leila was very smart and enjoyed reading. Gone with the Wind was one of the first books she gave to Kathy and Kathy still loves it today. Leila also enjoyed reading celebrity biographies. She loved old movie stars. She loved musicals and plays, especially Rogers and Hammerstein. One of Linda's fondest memories was staying up late on a Saturday night watching Fred Astaire dance and sing. Kathy remembers her mom taking her to see the Sound of Music. Kathy and Linda both shared a love of musicals with her. One of Leila's favorite actors was Pierce Brosnan – she thought he was drop dead gorgeous. While Leila didn't sing, she had a talent for whistling when the kids were little. George had built a beautiful walnut cabinet that held their stereo. Music was always playing everything from movie soundtracks to Peter Fontaine.

Leila was very social and she joined a Tuesday traveling women's group that went to museums. She was quite the artist and loved taking classes in art. She could draw, paint and she was very creative in making porcelain and ceramic dolls. She enjoyed buying clothes and shoes. And, she collected Sandra Kuck collectible plates and Avon figurines.

Known as Grandma, Leila helped to care for her first grandchild, Karey. All of the grandchildren loved going to Grandma and Papa's house, even though many of them were dragged to concerts in the park. The grandkids liked spending the night or walking with them on the Seal Beach Pier. The family held a party at Kathy's home in honor of their 50th wedding anniversary. They really enjoyed the gathering as it was a fun party.

While she suffered a heart attack and went through open heart surgery in 1997, she recovered. The hardest part of her life was losing her husband a few months later in 1998. It was very difficult for her because he was a wonderful husband. She kept the house the kids grew up in and went back to work with Avon.

Leila was delighted to become a great-grandmother. Kathy's grandchildren, Aidan and Ashlynn, called her Grandma Play-dough. When she went to Kathy's home to visit, she would get right in there and play with them.

Over the years, she loved Boston Terriers. A year or two ago, she opened the door on a rainy day and a white cat ran into the house. She said the cat was sent to me. She named her Kit-Kat and she loved that cat. She'd pet her and the cat sat on her lap.

She only recently retired from selling Avon. She enjoyed her coffee, and toward the end, she really liked Frappucinos bottled by Starbucks. Over the last 12 years, her neighbor Jane did so much for Leila. All of the siblings would like to honor and thank Jane, because she'd go over to her home, take her blood pressure, take her trash out, take her grocery shopping and she'd even feed the cat. The family doesn't know what they would have done without her. Jane would blow kisses to her and just loved her.

In the end, Leila wanted to be at home and her family honored her wishes. She was grateful for the gentle kindness of her family in her closing days. The family will miss Leila's presence. Kathy was really close friends with her and will miss being able to confide in her. The family feels she's at peace and has been reunited with her husband, George.

Leila was preceded in death by her husband George and son Jeff. She is remembered by her son Mike and his wife Donna; daughter Kathy and her husband Kenny; daughter Linda and her husband Larry; son Keith and his wife Kathy; 14 grandchildren; 6 great-grandchildren; sisters Jackie and Laurie; extended relatives; close friends Jean and Jackie; Avon customers and friends.