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Note: First Birthday Party Little Jeanie Kuhne, whose daddy, Lieut. Kuhne, is in the South Pacific, celebrated her first birthday yesterday at the home of her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. William Gulick, east of town, where she and her mama, who was formerly Alice Ruth Gulick, are living while Lieut. Kuhne is away. In honor of the occasion, her mother and grandmother entertained the following little folk, and their mammas, with a lovely party at 2 yesterday afternoon: Margaret and Marjorie Zimmerman and Mrs. Roy Zimmerman, Billy Schlagel and Mrs. Robert Schlagel, Mary Ann and Mrs. Paul Schlagel, Bryant and Mrs. George Brooks, Sharon and Mrs. Tommy Benton. Red and white floating swans were given each little guest as a favor, and the beautiful all-white birthday cake with its one candle for the first anniversary, was served with other things little folk can eat. JUNE, 1950 Family Reunion Celebrates Birthday A family reunion was held Sunday at the home of Mr. and Mrs. William Gulick to celebrate the sixth birthday anniversary of their little granddaughter, Jeanie Kuhn of Decatur, Ill., who arrived Saturday, with her brother Pete, to spend the summer with her grandparents. Jeanie is the attractive little daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gene Kuhn, formerly of Olathe. Centering the table was a beautifully decorated cake, holding six lighted candles, which rested on a revolving musical stand that played "Happy Birthday To You." Other guests were Mrs. Gene Kuhn, Mr. and Mrs. Lester Gulick, Mrs. Anna Gulick, Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Gulick and Gary, Mr. and Mrs. E. M. Gulick, jr., Mr. and Mrs. Art Gentry, all of Kansas City; Mr. and Mrs. Russell Dunn and children, Barbara Lou and Sharon, Santa Ana, Calif.; Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Brommell, Stockton, Calif.; Mrs. Anna Edelen, Pleasant Hill, Mo.; Mr. and Mrs. Jess Caig, Harrisonville, Mo.; Mr. and Mrs. Ray Rockefellow, Dayton, Ohio, and Mrs. Tyra Robinson, Albuquerque, N. M. Jeanie, whose birthday anniversary was June 6 had celebrated with a party at her school in Decatur. The guests were members of her kindergarten class and their teacher. The beautiful Cinderella birthday cake was decorated with characters from the magic story and showed the Prince and Cinderella in her beautiful coach driven by six white horses.
LYDIA KUHN One of the great pleasures of membership in FOL is the opportunity to become acquainted with the staff at the Fresno County Public Library. Principal Librarian and Manager of Adult Services Lydia Kuhn has worked closely with FOL ever since it was founded. She is retiring from the library on January 31, 2003, after 35 years of service. Lydia was born in the U. S. Naval Hospital in Brooklyn, New York, on D-Day. After serving in the navy during three wars, her father retired from the naval reserves and entered his other field -- journalism. Lydia says her family moved so often that by the time she graduated from high school, she had lived at 22 addresses (this in incorrect). The family settled in Stockton in 1954. Lydia attended Whittier College and graduated with a a degree in political science. She applied for the CIA. While awaiting clearance, she returned to a job as an office assistant for the State Department that she had held during the summer after her junior year in college. She then became a research assistant for the National Interdepartmental Seminar, which was part of the Foreign Service Institute in Washington, D. C. She stayed there for two and a half years. Meanwhile, Lydia's parents moved to Fresno. She decided she wanted to become a librarian. She talked to Alice Reilly, who was head librarian of the Fresno County Free Library, and, on November 1, 1968, became a librarian trainee. She completed a master of arts degree in library science at Louisiana State University in 1971. During the next three decades, she earned promotions to librarian I, librarian II, librarian III, librarian III supervisory, and lastly to her current position as principal librarian and manager of adult services. Lydia has a number of interesting hobbies. She is a member of the Titanic Historical Society and has attended its conventions in the United States, England, and Canada. She collects Beatrix Potter books and collectibles and royal commemoratives. A devotee of Amelia Earhart, she attended the 100th anniversary celebration of Earhart's birth at Earhart's birthplace in Atchison, Kansas. She also loves to read a good mystery. Lydia has generously shared her interests with FOL by eight times hosting a table at the annual Diner in the Library. Her subjects have included Margaret Mitchell, Noel Coward, Amelia Earhart, Dorothy Parker, Beatrix Potter and the English royal family. During her years of service to the library, Lydia feels her greatest accomplishments have been in the development of the adult collections and of adult programming. She says her job has been exciting and interesting and that it is nice to retire at a time when so many good things are happening for the library. The passage of Measure B has meant that the library staff could truly fulfill the wishes of their patrons. The library is open longer hours and the staff is able purchase all the new books necessary to fulfill requests and to keep current titles available for the public. We thank Lydia Kuhn for her support of FOL and wish her much happiness as she pursues her new life after retirement. Source: Friends of the Fresno County Public Library, January-February 2003. P. O. Box 4523, Fresno, CA 93744
RETIREMENT WATCHING THE CLOCK Woman's career organizing library projects and selecting its books comes to an end By Paula Lloyd Staff Writer The retirement clock on librarian Lydia Kuhn's desk said it all: 8 days, 8 hours, 34 minutes, 33 seconds until her 33 years with the Fresno County Library would end. Kuhn, 58, the library's manager of adult services confessed with a laugh that as much as she's liked her job, it's not what she originally wanted. "I wanted to work for the CIA." she said, "because it was exciting." Those who know and work with Kuhn describe an adventurous spirit. "She's more than willing to try new things." Anthony Halstead, world language librarian, said about his boss. "When I have a crazy idea for a new program, she's willing to entertain notions. She gives things a listen." Kuhn almost got the CIA job, although she can't say what she would have been doing. "They never tell you." she said. Kuhn had passed the interview and testing with the CIA, but while waiting for the security clearance to come through, she took a job as a research assistant with the State Department. "It was more money and some of my close friends worked there." she said. But two years of Washington, D.C., winters motivated Kuhn to move to Fresno where her parents lived. "When you're going to go to college, you have to live with your parents," she said. Kuhn enrolled in Louisiana State University to pursue a master's degree in library science. "It was so cheap," Kuhn said. "The out-of-state tuition was cheaper than tuition in California. Library science attracted Kuhn because books and reading have always been an important part of her life. "My parents were both big readers and I've always read." she said. My job is really great. I get to read the reviews of all the new books. It's overwhelming how many new books there are." It's Kuhn's job to decide which new books to buy for adults. She also plans events to both attract people to the library and expand their knowledge. "I've been very fortunate at the Fresno County Library." Kuhn said. "I've been able to advance and to shape the job." Kuhn's first job with the Fresno County Library was as a library trainee. After earning her master's degree she became manager of the order department that does the purchasing of new books and materials. Later she became the acquisitions librarian and 10 years ago was named manager of adult services. John Kallenberg, who will retire in March after 27 years as Fresno County's head librarian, e-mailed his praise of Kuhn from a national library convention in Philadelphia. "It has been wonderful working with Lydia over the years. She has contributed greatly to the development of the library collections for adults. She has developed many well-received programs for adults and children, several of which are in cooperation with the Friends of the Library. She has provided good leadership in all of the areas of her work." he said. "She was leader in the development of special collections for nationally known local authors, particularly those for William Saroyan and Leo Politi. We will miss her knowledge of literature and her commitment to librarianship." Kuhn retired Jan. 31. Her coworkers threw a retirement party for her that night. Kuhn, who said she lives to travel, once took a long weekend trip to London where she met Titanic survivor Millvina Dean, 90, who was an infant on board the ocean liner when it sank in 1912. Kuhn plans to do more traveling after retirement. "I won't be bored." she said. Close friend Rosellen Kershaw believes that's true. "She's an amazing girl." Kershaw said. "I find her a wonderful friend. Her handicap never gets in the way and I think that's admirable." Kershaw said of Kuhn, who walks with crutches. Kershaw and Kuhn have worked together on projects in the American Association of University and Friends of the Library. "We started Dinner in the Library and she often hosts a table. She lives it and does a good job. She's a good team player and I admire that." Kershaw said Kuhn have traveled to literary conferences in Santa Fe, N.M, Denver, Philadelphia and San Francisco. "What we've shared has been good for me because she has exposed me to many things." Kershaw said. In more than three decades with the library, Kuhn has seen a lot of changes. "It was boom or bust." she said. "After Proposition 13, it was really sad, but Measure B was good for us." Proposition 13, approved by California voters in 1978, reduced property tax rates and cut funds to cities and counties. Measure B, approved by county voters in 1998, was a sales-tax increase for library funding. After Proposition 13, Kuhn recalled, the library would stock only a few copies of best selling books. "People had to wait longer for them," she said. "There weren't as many programs." Measure B funding has meant the library can but more books and carry more copies of popular titles. The library also now holds more programs and has begun a ne compact disc collection, Kuhn said. Computers have changed the library, Kuhn said. "The Internet has changed how you can search for information and answer (readers') questions. Even in retirement Kuhn will still be providing services to adults. She has been hired to present programs at Fig Garden Retirement. "Our people are very much interested, because the people she talks about are from their era." Kuhn has spoken on John Steinbeck and Depression-era movie stars. "They know her by name." Everett said. "They really like her. She's more popular than some of the entertainers we have." Source: The Fresno Bee, Thursday, February 6, 2003, Cityview Neighbors
Note from Mom: There were 120 at Lydia's retirement dinner at Di Cicio's. Now she's busy writing thank yous.
Obituary for Lydia Jean Kuhn Lydia Jean Kuhn died on June 29, 2018 in Fresno, California . She was born on D-Day, June 6, 1944, in Brooklyn, New York. She was the daughter of Ruth and Gene Kuhn who preceded her in death. Lydia graduated from Lincoln High School in Stockton, California in 1962. After graduating from Whittier College in 1966, she worked for the State Department's National Interdepartmental Seminar in Washington, D.C. as a research assistant. She moved to Fresno in 1968 and began working for the Fresno County Public Library as a librarian trainee. After receiving a Masters in Library Science from LSU, she returned to Fresno. At the time of her retirement from the County Library in 2003 after 33 years of service, she was Manager of Adult Services. While at the Library in addition to her regular duties, she implemented five celebrations of literary characters, including Peter Rabbit and Winnie the Pooh, as fund-raisers for the Friends of the Library Committee for 22 years, many times hosting a table on a variety of subjects, including Noel Coward, the British Royal Family, and suspense fiction. She also worked on community wide reading programs, often hosting 24-hour read-a-thons. Lydia was active in the community, participating in several organizations. She was past president of the Fresno Branch of AAUW, the Forum, and Friday Club, program vice president of San Joaquin Valley Town Hall, and secretary of the William Saroyan Society. She presented a number of programs before community groups on such subjects as Lizzie Borden, Dorothy Parker, Frida Kahlo, Beatrix Potter, the Titanic, as well as numerous book discussions. Lydia volunteered for the San Joaquin River Parkway, serving on the Parkway's Parties Committee, writing hundreds of thank-you notes to party hosts. In 2012, she organized a Third Class Last Dinner on the Titanic as a fund-raiser for the Parkway. She was a member of the Titanic Historical Society and attended THS conferences in the United States, Canada, and England. One of her fondest memories was meeting the last Titanic survivor, Millvina Dean. Lydia is survived by a circle of friends, who were there for her, with love and support during the good and bad times. During the good times, she enjoyed traveling, attending local musical and theatrical productions, seeing movies, reading the latest best seller, and being with friends. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to StageWorks Fresno, 4833 N. Hulbert Ave., Fresno , CA 93705, or the San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust, 11605 Old Friant Rd., Fresno, CA 93730 . A Memorial Mass will be held at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 355 E. Champlain Drive, Fresno, CA 93730 on Wednesday, July 11, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. Published in the Fresno Bee on July 8, 2018
Changedatetime: 16:20:28
Changedate: 5 JAN 2019
Changedatez: 2019-01-05T00:00:00.000Z
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