Arthur J. Kulzer, 91, passed away peacefully at the Holyoke Soldiers Home on September 25, 2020. He was born in Northampton, MA on January 25, 1929. After attending local schools, he graduated from Saint Michaels High School in 1946 and entered the United States Navy at the end of World War II. During his tour of duty in the Marshall Islands, he participated in Operation Sandstone where he witnessed 3 above ground atomic bomb tests. After an honorable discharge, he attended Saint Michael's College in Colchester, VT on the G.I. bill graduating in 1954 with a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. He married the love of his life, Claire (Boyer) Kulzer on August 29, 1953. Arthur worked for his entire career at the former Stanley Home Products in Easthampton until he retired in 1989. In retirement, he worked at Canal Lanes in Southampton to be close to the sport that he loved, and while there he taught many a youth and adult to enjoy the sport of Candlepin Bowling. He touched many lives and will be greatly missed by his family and friends.
He leaves his loving children, Linda Laprade and her husband, Daniel, of Southampton; Cheryl Laprade and her husband, Edward, of West Suffield, CT; Michael Kulzer of Florence; Diane Gosselin and husband, James, of Southampton and Robert Kulzer and his wife, Emma, of Westfield; eleven grandchildren; ten great grandchildren (one more due in December) and several nieces and nephews.
Arthur is predeceased by his wife of 64 years, Claire (Boyer) Kulzer, his sons, Richard and James, as well as his daughter-in-law, Laurie Kulzer.
Calling hours at the Boucher O’Brien Funeral Home will be held Thursday, October 1st from 5-7 pm, open to the public but following strict COVID protocols. Arthur's funeral will be held on Friday at 10 am from the Boucher O’Brien Funeral Home, 7 Pleasant St, Easthampton, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 AM at Our Lady of the Valley Church, 33 Adams St., Easthampton, MA. Private burial will be at the Massachusetts Veteran’s Cemetery in Agawam. Memorial donations may be made to the Gary Sinise Foundation www.garysinisefoundation.org, Wounded Warriors www.woundedwarriorproject.org or the Alzheimer’s Association www.alz.org