Donald Franklin Kuhns

Donald Frannklin Kuhns was born on December 10th 1962 in Martinsburg West Virginia.   He passed away suddenly on August 26th at Moses Cone Hospital.  He had been battling to control problems with his heart and kidneys for some time. He is survived by his wife of 40 years Rory Payne Kuhns, his children, Trevor James Kuhns and Tia Noelle Kuhns and his sister Denise “Ducky” Valkos of West Virginia.  He was a musician, a teacher, a mentor, a teammate and a friend.  Most of all he was a loving, protective, caring and supportive husband and father.

Donald spent the first 5 years of his life in the home of his grandfather and step-grandmother. He often recalled good memories of his early childhood despite suffering from asthma, but when his grandfather passed away after a long illness circumstances changed and life became much harder.  As he grew, he helped as he could providing meat for the table either fishing or with his inherited single shot rifle.

When his best friend, Scottie, in middle school died suddenly he was given his bass guitar to remember him by and an older lady in the neighborhood who played cello offered to teach him the basics. This helped him through his grief and sparked his deep love for music.  Any instrument in which he took an interest, he eventually played and played well.

Around this time, he found a mentor in a Vietnam vet who moved in across the street.  John took Donald into his home many an evening alongside his own young family.  John taught him defense, survival, logic, strategy and history.    A group of close friends collected often till late in the night at John’s home playing war games even coming together years later on holidays when many were in town. He later served as the best man at his wedding.

Donald was a musician and played with many bands. In high school he created his first band with his lifelong friend Troy and Troy’s cousin Jeff.  They named it Phantazy.  He was also in marching band, jazz band and the award-winning choir, Goodtimes.

Following high school Donald attended Sheppard College, riding on the bus between Martinsburg and Sheppardstown.  He got a part time job, walking across town to and from work so that he would have money to get to school, lunch (usually just an eggroll with a special sauce prepared just for him by the owner of the diner) and other necessities.  One of his first paychecks went for a decently thick coat so he could continue his schooling.

Around this time, he started training in martial arts and found another mentor in the instructor.  He took lessons in exchange for cleaning the dojo.  This improved his physical health and mental discipline.  Unfortunately, at age 20, stress at home became unbearable and following doctor’s advice and with the help of a former educator he packed up a mostly rebuilt Ford Mustang and headed south to play for the Emanons at Elon College on a music scholarship.

Donald was introduced to his future wife, Rory, on his first winter break.  Several of the band members were going out and the singer invited a high school friend along.  When the friend needed a rescue from an overly friendly dance partner, Donald agreed to let her walk out under his arm.  The knight with shining red curls stayed up talking to the princess until the early morning hours and they were married a year and a half later.

Having experience in restaurant work, Donald went in to the field eventually becoming a district manager.  He did not like the work even though he was very good at it, but came to realize that he could use his own difficult experiences to help others.  He would assist employees with needs by providing coats and gloves to drive thru workers, a bicycle to a young man whose family did not have a car so he could get to work and oil change coupons to delivery drivers.  Just as important were those who needed help getting away from a bad living situation or who needed someone to believe in them and their potential.  His former employees include veterinary assistants, business owners, a naval sonar operator and a lawyer plus many others.

While this was going on, Donald and Rory were enjoying life together.  Donald started another band, Up, Down, Strange (not the one currently using the name) and played out whenever possible.  He, with the other 2 members, wrote their own music and lyrics. Donald joined the Bounty Hunters, a paint ball team who became as close as family.  He and Rory got their first house and discovered the family was going to grow.

Donald had been worried about becoming a father.  Not having benefitted from good parenting skills growing up, he was afraid he would not know what to do.  He worried for nothing, he was an excellent father.  When Trevor arrived, he took to being a parent with the love he had previously reserved for his wife and his music.  He strove to provide love, care, support and experiences and when Tia joined the family 4 years later, the the joy of the family grew.  Trips with the family and holidays gave every reason to celebrate.

In time, the demands of work began to take too much of his time and energy.  His health began to suffer as the stress levels increased.  Rory and Bo, another dear friend (read little brother of the heart if not blood) convinced Donald that it was time for a career change.  It took quite a bit of help, encouragement and support, but Donald went back to college to get a teaching degree.

Donald got back into playing music.  He joined a band called Dirty Surprise and played out on weekends.  He became a science teacher at Oak Ridge Military Academy where he found he loved teaching not just science, but life skills to young people. The spirit was mending, the body was trying, but the damage was deep.  Before Covid hit, he played with The Billy Creason Band.  And as Covid lead to Online learning he accepted an 8th grade position at GMS, the same school where Rory taught 7th grade.  We said that we worked with the salt of the earth, but he knew where so many of them came from, he had been there.  As he had always done, he saw to the needs of this new generation, students now instead of employees.  Teaching brought him almost as much happiness as playing his bass.

For the past 10 months since my retirement, I have spent almost everyday with Donald.  He told me it had been a beautiful summer and I know he meant the experiences.  Time with our loved ones is precious.

He was Trevor’s rock.

He was Tia’s best friend who truly understood her.

And he will be My Love forever.

A funeral service will be held at 3:00 PM on Sunday August 31, 2025 at Cedar Cliff United Methodist Church with the family receiving friends one hour prior to the service at the Church. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family in honor of Donald, to help complete his projects that were left undone at https://gofund.me/72cacba6