LOUIS KUNZ

Louis Kunz, Local Brew Head, Dies
Kingsbury President Was Last of Early Day Brewers of Manitowoc
Louis Kunz, 81, president of the Kingsbury Breweries company and last
of the early day brewers and maltsters of Manitowoc, died last night.
He has been in failing health for several weeks.
Until two weeks ago, however, Mr. Kunz was able to meet his friends
and made daily visits to the Elks club, of which he was one of the
oldest members. A general breakdown of his health had confined him
to his home, 815 Marshall street for several days.
Funeral Services Thursday
Funeral services will be held from the home Thursday at 2 p.m. Interment
will be in Evergreen cemetery.
Mr. Kunz continued active in the brewing business for more than half a
century. He first came to this city in 1880 and five years later embarked
in partnership with the late Daniel B. Bleser in the brewing business. In
the early days of his brewery activities Mr. Kunz was brewmaster and made
special trips to Germany to study proper brewing of ingredients going into
the manufacture of beer.
The deceased was born near Stuttgart, Germany, in 1854, the son of Johann
and Elizabeth Kunz. His father was the owner of a brewery in Germany. In
1872, accompanied by a friend, Mr. Kunz left Germany for America. He was
employed for a time in Milwaukee and coming to Manitowoc was employed,
together with John Schreihart, at the Godfrey Kunz brewery at Branch.
In 1880 Mr. Kunz came to this city and the following year associated himself
with Mr. Schreihart. In 1885 he formed a partnership with Daniel B. Bleser
and the Kunz-Bleser company was organized. The firm leased the Schreihart
brewery, which the company operated until 1890. Purchase of the Grotch and
Seidel brewery followed. This plant, located at Marshall and South Ninth
streets, was remodeled and operated until 1905. It was torn down and
replaced with a modern brick and conrete plant on the same site.
Consolidation in 1918
During the World war there was a consolidation of three Manitowoc breweries,
the Kunz-Bleser company, the Schreihart company and the William Rahr Sons
company under the name of the Manitowoc Breweries Co. Mr. Kunz was chosen
treasurer of the company. The following year the name of the company was
changed to the Manitowoc Products company. He continued to hold the office
of treasurer of this company as well as being a director.
In 1933 organization of the Kingsbury Breweries company was effected. Mr.
Kunz continued in the new company, although in late months he did not take
an active part in conduct of the business. He was head of the company at
his death.
In 1875 Mr. Kunz married Miss Mary Kunz, a native of Ohio. She died 11 years
ago.
Survivors are a son, Erwin, city, and a daughter, Mrs. James Alder, Wilmette,
Ill. Another son, George, died a few months ago.
Fraternally the deceased was a member of the Elks and the Knights of Pythias.
Organizer of Club
Mr. Kunz was one of the organizers of the Manitowoc club, which maintains a
summer camp at Big Lake, Manitowish, in northern Wisconsin. He made yearly
trips to this camp to spend several weeks fishing. A year ago in July he
entertained a large number of his friends at Camp Manitowoc on the occasion
of his 80th birthday anniversary.
Mrs. Alder, only daughter of the deceased, will not be able to come to
Manitowoc for the funeral. She is at North Conway, N.H., called there by
the serious illness of her daughter, who is attending school in the east.
The body of Mr. Kunz will be moved to the home on Marshall street Wednesday
evening from the Vogelsang funeral home.
Manitowoc Herald Times, Tuesday, March 10, 1936 P.2
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[cause: myocarditis]