Tribute

1943 – 2025

It is with great sadness that the family of Klaus Kuhn announce his passing on November 28, 2025, after a short stay in hospital following a cardiac arrest. The family is very grateful for the time they had with him during his last days.

Klaus was born in Lobenstein, Germany, during WWII and spent his formative years in Frankfurt. He had an innate desire to learn about and explore the world. After completing a banking apprenticeship, Klaus moved to Switzerland where he worked as an investment banker. He made several lifetime friends while there. Two years later, he moved to Toronto and then Vancouver, where he met his wife, Loring. Together, they travelled through Asia, the Middle East and Europe, finally settling in Germany where their two children were born. In 1975, they moved back to Vancouver, living there until 1982. Next was Campbell River, where Klaus started his financial planning business. Always civic minded, Klaus was proud to be a founding member of the Daybreak Rotary Club. A few years after retiring to Youbou, BC, he and his wife made the difficult decision to part ways. Klaus remained at “the lake” and soon turned his focus to local politics. Many will remember him for his role as director for the Cowichan Valley Regional District’s Electoral Area I (Youbou/Meade Creek) which he held for 10 years. He deeply loved and cared for his community and was proud to serve in this role. Klaus was active on several related committees, and also an initiator of the Cowichan Lake and River Stewardship Society.

Klaus had a passion for outdoor recreation and enjoyed testing his endurance and strength in his favourite activities. He was known for swimming long distances into the middle of Cowichan Lake, often dragging his red buoy so he could be seen by passing boaters. He was also passionate about kayaking and could be seen paddling his bright yellow kayak for hours at a time, exploring remote bays and shorelines up the lake. Many locals remember him swimming or kayaking up to their docks for a visit and a chat in the sun. Klaus also loved hiking the mountains and hills of the Cowichan Valley and cycling long distances in the area. He continued to travel in the Rockies, Europe, Central and South America, hiking whenever he could.

Klaus was an avid reader and spent much of his spare time learning and growing his understanding of geopolitical matters. He enjoyed conversing on current and historical events and was not afraid to challenge conventional thinking. He was a man of integrity, doing and saying what he believed to be right, even when it was unpopular or costly for him to do so.

Family was very important to Klaus. He loved his kids and grandkids dearly and kept in regular contact. With his daughter, he shared a love of photography. She has many fond memories of going out on “shoots” together, often joking about who had the better camera or who shot the best photo. His son shared his father’s love of the water and also shared a passion for political and philosophical discussions.

Klaus had many good friends in the Cowichan area, who will miss him dearly; a special mention to neighbours Bryce, Amy and their children, who had become like family to him.

Klaus was predeceased by his parents, Hedwig and Bernhard Kuhn, his stepfather, Josef and his brother Bernhard (Hardy).  He is survived by his former wife, Loring (Les), son Martin (Carol), daughter Stephanie (Neil) and grandchildren Sophie and Carson.

A possible gathering to remember Klaus will be announced to the community in Spring or Summer of next year. Thank you to the staff at the Duncan Hospital for their care of our Papa and Opa during his last week.