James F. Kuntz, 72

LONG ISLAND - James F. Kuntz, 72, a lifelong lobsterman from Long Island, died of
cancer on Oct. 1, 2001, at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Togus.

He was born on Great Diamond Island, a son of James Joseph and Charlotte Cushing Kuntz.
He was raised on the islands of Casco Bay with his 10 brothers and sisters. He spent most of
his childhood growing up at his family's homestead on Long Island. He attended the Long
Island School.

Mr. Kuntz spent much of his youth lobstering with his older brother, Sammy, and learned the
fishing trade from him.

He was inducted into the Army on Feb. 13, 1951. He was stationed at Fort Jackson, S.C.,
Fort Richardson, Alaska, and Fort Wayne, Ind. While in Indiana, he met and married Janet S.
Epperson. The couple later moved to Chebeague Island.

Mr. Kuntz worked lobstering, crabbing, trolling and hand lining. He had a special interest in
boatbuilding, and as a young man helped build his 32-foot lobster boat, The Zephyr. He
eventually retuned to Long Island, where he lived the remainder of his life at his family's
homestead.

Surviving are a son, James E. of Chebeague Island; a daughter, Janice M. Keene of San
Antonio, Texas; two brothers, Charles of Chebeague Island and Carl of Portland; a sister,
Sarah Teague of Long Island; and five grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Chebeague Island Methodist Church,
with the Rev. Robert Leon officiating. Burial will be held in Forest City Cemetery, South
Portland.