Donald James Kuhn, 87, passed away January 26, 2022, in Crystal Lake, IL. Born and raised in Chicago to Frederick and Agnes Kuhn (nee Krueger), he was the loving brother of Frederick (deceased). Donald, more affectionately known as “Don,” was the loving husband of Marilyn Kuhn (nee Katt); and father of Donna Evans, James Kuhn (deceased 2012), Nancy Parker, Frederick Kuhn, and Kathie Murphy.
Additional family members who will forever cherish his memory are his beloved grandchildren, Katie, Kimberly, and Kasey Manecke; Claire Parker, Hannah Rocha, and Seth Parker; and MacKenzie and Griffin Kuhn; as well as his sons-in-law, Mike Evans and Daniel Parker; and daughter-in-law, Dee Ann Kuhn (nee Maki).
Don was also known as “Captain Kuhn” for his dedicated 33 years of service to the Elk Grove Village Fire Department and Chicago Fire Department Engine Company 7 on Chicago’s South Side, where he began his career in 1955. Don joined the Elk Grove station in 1966 after learning the village was transitioning from volunteers to paid firemen. Having scored the highest on his Firefighter Public Safety Test, now known as the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT), Don became the first salaried firefighter in Elk Grove Village. He served as Captain of the Elk Grove Village Fire Department until he retired in 1988.
Typically modest, Don’s proudest contribution to his work was proposing and, subsequently implementing, the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) within Chicago’s northwest suburbs in 1968. Don modeled MABAS, a mutual aid response system, after the city of Chicago’s box alarm card system of preassigning engines, trucks, squads, ambulances, and chiefs for response to given fire alarm levels. Today, MABAS offers statewide mutual aid for fire, EMS, and specialized incident operational teams. Some 62 Illinois divisions, eight Wisconsin divisions, and two Indiana divisions use MABAS today, while departments in Missouri, Iowa, and Michigan have expressed interest in joining MABAS.
Much like other firemen, Don spent his time between shifts painting houses. In 1974, he opened a hot dog stand, Dandy Dogs, with two fellow firemen, Don Langland and Andy Druegen, hence the name “Dandy Dogs.” The hot dog stand was a family enterprise where Marilyn and the children worked and have fond memories of filling orders alongside Dad.
After retiring from the fire department, he and Marilyn moved to Florida, where he started a second career in real estate. Don was happiest when he was working around the house and yard or helping renovate the homes of his children; always with Rush Limbaugh playing in his earphones. Don was a gifted, self-taught artist who preferred pencil, chalk and clay, as well as oil paint. His renderings of his children and grandchildren are cherished treasures.
Sadly, Don and Marilyn lost their son, James “Jim,” to an undetected, congenital heart defect in 2012. Their steadfast devotion to Jim and his care for more than a year, embodies the true spirit of Don and Marilyn — and their faith and dedication to God and their Catholic Church.
In lieu of flowers, the Kuhn family asks for donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, stjude.org/donate.
Services will be held privately for family.
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