Richard L. Kuss
- 1923 — Born Jan. 4 in Springfield.
- 1944 — Married the former Barbara Deer.
- 1945 — Graduated from Wittenberg University, attended the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration.
- Served three years in the U.S. Navy during World War II, attaining rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade in the Navy Supply Corps.
- 1946 — Joined the Bonded Oil Company.
- 1967 — Named president of Bonded Oil Company.
- 1976 — Named first president of Emro Marketing Co., now Speedway SuperAmerica.
- 1979 — Awarded Wittenberg University Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters.
- 1982 — Chairman of $20 million Campaign for Wittenberg for library and HPER centers.
- 1983 — Retired from Bonded Oil Company and Emro.
- 1983 — Received Scroll of Commendation by the Ohio House.
- Honorary co-chairman, $70 million "Wittenberg at the Millennium" national campaign.
- 1984 — Listed in Who's Who in America.
- 1989 — Chaired $15.5 million campaign to build Clark State Performing Arts Center and Kuss Auditorium.
- 1993 — Inducted into Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges Hall of Excellence.
- 1999 — Barbara Deer Kuss died.
- 1999-2000 — One of the major funders and architects of the National Trail Parks and Recreation District's $17 million capital campaign that included Carleton Davidson Stadium, Splash Zone Family Aquatics Center and a future ice rink.
- 2000 — Received Spirit of Clark County Award by Clark County Historical Society.
- 2003 — Major contributor to Wittenberg University's campaign to build Barbara Deer Kuss Science Center.
- 2004 — Honorary chairman of the Clark State Community College Sara T. Landess Technology and Learning Center capital campaign.
- 2005 — Springfield City Schools Alumni of Distinction Award.
- Wittenberg University awards: Alumni Citation, Class of 1914 Award for Meritorious Service, Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree and Medal of Honor.
- Numerous local recognitions including: Springfield Jaycees, Rotary, Kiwanis, Frontiers, Springfield Chapter of the National Management Association, Greater Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, Clark County Historical Society, Clark County Republican Men's Club.
- 2010 — Wall of Remembrance of the Clark County Historical
Although taken aback by the suddenness of her father’s death, Carolyn Patterson on Monday called Richard Kuss’ peaceful passing “a real blessing” and gave thanks for his ability at 87 to have been active to the end.
“He went fishing on Friday, golfing on Saturday and went to church Sunday morning,” she said.
Perhaps nobody knew Kuss better than the man who was beside him the last time he fished Friday and saw him birdie the third hole on the Springfield Country Club for the last time Saturday — long time friend Dick Link.
“I left him in the locker room,” Link said Monday afternoon, just returned from a nephew’s funeral in Columbus. “I probably would have called him (Tuesday), because I wanted to talk to him, and we were going to play golf Wednesday morning.”
Friends for more than 50 years of golfing and fishing trips that ranged across Canada and to Sweden and Hawaii, Link said one of the topics he and Kuss mulled over in later years was “who’s going to take over” leadership in the community.
“He would work with people,” said Link, who is 89. “But I think we’ve lost somebody.”
Although the most active years of Kuss’ business life are long passed, Link said he was “very prominent” in petroleum circles and later brought the management skills he’d learned at Bonded Oil and Emro Marketing to bear in working to improve Springfield.
“I don’t think there was a person in the city that appreciated the city and the citizens as much as he did,” Link explained. “Every person he met, he wanted them to do well.”
“He had a tremendous memory” for people, their names and details of their lives, Link said, something he attributes to Kuss’ genuineness.
Although Link said “I never heard him say a bad word about projects or other people,” Kuss’ diplomatic skills didn’t keep him from being decisive.
“He’d listen to you,” Link said, “but he’d get to the crux of the matter.”
And at times he’d get involved in a hands-on fashion.
When the Kuss Auditorium and the Clark State University Performing Arts Center were being planned, “he did a lot of traveling to get the right concept, the right architect, the acoustics right,” Link said. “He didn’t just put his money in there. He was part of the project totally.”
Describing him as an upbeat person who had a full calendar all the time, Link said Kuss was also “a great family man, always seeing that they were doing the right thing, giving them advice” but, as always, refraining from issuing orders.
Link said Kuss was particularly devoted to his late wife, Barbara.
Just as he fished every Friday, golfed every Saturday and went to Covenant Presbyterian Church, each Sunday, “after church every Sunday, he went to the cemetery” Link said.
“He was one of a kind,” his friend said, “one of a kind.”
What others say:
• Former U.S. Rep. David Hobson:
“If Dick Kuss called you and asked you to get involved in something, you got involved. And he probably was as good a trout fisherman as we had in this town.”
• Mark Erickson, president of Wittenberg University:
“When Dick Kuss heard about an issue in his community, the first thing he thought was ‘How can I help? What can I do?’ ”
- “This is a sad day for us. Life won’t be quite the same without Dick.”
• Mayor Warren Copeland:
Copeland said Kuss gave him advice, but never pushed him into a decision. Although he held strong opinions, Kuss always treated people fairly, remembered the mayor’s birthday and always asked him to pass on a greeting to Copeland’s wife. “At the end of the day, Dick Kuss was a nice person.”
• Tom Loftis, family friend and adviser:
“He didn’t seek a lot of fame or publicity. He had an internal flame that drove him to make things better for everything he touched.”
• Tim Smith, CEO National Trail Parks and Recreation District
If Kuss walked in a room, Smith said he would know everyone’s names and their children’s names. “He was a huge supporter of NTPRD and benefactor beyond just funding. He championed us.”
Reporters Samantha Sommer, Kelly Mori and Megan Gildow contributed to this report.
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