Anton Gerhardt Kuhlmann

Anton Gerhardt (Tony) Kuhlmann passed away peacefully surrounded by his family in his home in Santa Clara, Utah on November 13, 2025. 

Tony was born on April 16, 1930 in Chicago, Illinois to Peter Anton Gerhardt Kuhlmann and Wanda Tekla Kelpsh Kuhlmann. He began life during the Great Depression and watched as his mother and father offered help to those struggling even as they struggled themselves. This experience would influence him to share what he had with those in need throughout his life. Tony grew up in the immigrant community in Chicago, Illinois surrounded by a close-knit family of aunts, uncles and cousins. In High School he met the love of his life, LouAnn May Wheeler. He knew they were destined for each other when she described her perfect family as six children, three boys and three girls, which mirrored his similar desire.

Tony enlisted in the US Navy on February 14, 1948, before he turned 18 years old. After completing training, he and LouAnn were married on June 24, 1950. After they were married Tony returned to continue his duty with the Navy and served aboard the USS Jack W Wilkey stationed out of Key West, Florida. Tony moved LouAnn to Key West where he served and they welcomed their first-born daughter Cathy into the family. They would eventually have six children, three girls and three boys. Tony and his young family made their home in south Florida until 1972. In 1972 they moved to Santa Clara, Utah where he resided until his death.

While living in Florida Tony was converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and gained a strong testimony of the Gospel. On June 8, 1959, Tony and LouAnn and their family traveled the 2,540 miles across the US to be sealed together for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake City Temple. Tony served in many leadership capacities in the church. He served in both ward and stake positions including Bishop of the Miami Third Ward, multiple times as a stake high counselor, District President, and dedicated Minister and Home Teacher. He served as the director of the baptistry in the St. George Temple for many years. His calling as the family patriarch was his most important work. He often bore his testimony and shared his love of the gospel with anyone who would listen, especially his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

In 1997 Tony and LouAnn served an 18-month mission in Lithuania, his mother's homeland. This was a highlight of the couple's service later in life. While serving he assisted in locating those able to assist in facilitating the translation of the Book of Mormon into Lithuanian. He loved the Lithuanian people and returned later in life to visit and try to locate records to assist in his family’s genealogy work.

His decades of service continued as he paid honor to the deceased veterans of Washington County by coordinating the placement of wreaths on their graves each December (Wreaths Across America), participating in the American Legion honor guard, and returned to serve in the St. George Utah Temple baptistry at the age of 93 where he loved serving and interacting with the youth of the church until his death. He loved the time he spent explaining the reasons behind their service and how their service blessed their ancestors.

He is survived by five of his six children, Cathy Lou Barnes (David), Peter Frederick Kuhlmann (Susanne), Toni Carol Wengreen (Chris), Maryann Renee Moser (Chris), and Thomas John Kuhlmann (Leanne). Tony was proceeded in death by his parents, Peter Anton Gerhardt Kuhlmann and Wanda Tekla Kelpsh, his sister Eleanor (Mickey) Catherine Kuhlmann, his wife, LouAnn May Wheeler, his son Gary George Kuhlmann, granddaughter Emily Kuhlmann and grandson Anton Allen Kuhlmann, great grandson TJ Kuhlmann, great granddaughters Caroline Beth and Rose Aileen Kuhlmann. He and LouAnn were blessed with 32 grandchildren and 102 great grandchildren and 8 great-great grandchildren.

A visitation will be held Friday, December 5, 2025 from 6:00-8:00pm and Saturday, December 6, 2025 from 9:00-10:30am at the Santa Clara 5th Ward LDS Chapel, 630 Riesling Ave. Santa Clara, UT 84765. Funeral Services will be held at the same location on Saturday, December 6, 2025 at 11:00am, Interment will be held at the Santa Clara Cemetery following the services.

The family thanks Dixie Hospice Care and all their caregivers for the service rendered in caring for their dad during these last precious moments here on earth.

Funeral services may be viewed by clicking the livestream below.