{"id":19,"date":"2015-10-05T23:28:20","date_gmt":"2015-10-05T23:28:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sandboxfoundation.org\/site\/?p=19"},"modified":"2020-06-03T23:38:59","modified_gmt":"2020-06-03T23:38:59","slug":"wayne","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sandboxfoundation.org\/index.php\/2015\/10\/05\/wayne\/","title":{"rendered":"Wayne Frederick"},"content":{"rendered":"

Portions of this tribute to Wayne Frederick Kuchenmeister were first published on the web site of the company he founded, K\/E Electric Supply Corp.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Wayne Frederick Kuchenmeister was born June 6, 1935 in New Haven, Michigan.\u00a0 Wayne\u2019s grandfather Albert Kuchenmeister owned a farm in New Haven, where Wayne\u2019s father Frederick Albert Kuchenmeister was born.<\/p>\n

Wayne grew up on Lakeworth Street, Roseville, Michigan just south of 14-Mile Road and Gratiot.\u00a0 The family homestead was a fairly large two-story colonial with three bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs.\u00a0 The main floor had an expansive living room, dining room, kitchen off the back and an office for Fred\u2019s business.\u00a0 There was a large unattached three car garage out back, with a driveway that encircled the home.\u00a0 Fred\u2019s office had two entrances, one each from the living room and dining room.\u00a0 Grandchildren remember playing hide-n-seek by using grandpa\u2019s office as a strategic location.\u00a0 Technically, the grandchildren weren\u2019t supposed to be in grandpa\u2019s office.\u00a0 Though Fred was always a large man, standing six foot one inch and often weighing in over 300 lbs., his desk was an ordinary sized cherry wood, with a glass protective top.\u00a0 The desk was moved to Fred\u2019s retirement home on Seville, in Clinton Township in 1968.\u00a0 Shortly after Fred\u2019s death in 1981, Wayne\u2019s oldest son Rock received the desk and uses it to this day (2016)<\/p>\n

The family church was Zion United Church of Christ<\/a>, dating back to the 1860s. \u00a0This is the only church Wayne was ever a member of from, his birth until the month he turned 70 years of age.\u00a0 A national vote held by the council of the United Church of Christ went against Wayne\u2019s personal beliefs and he left the church \u201ccold turkey\u201d on the day of the vote.<\/p>\n

In the 1960s, Wayne also quit a four pack a day Winston cigarette habit, \u201ccold turkey\u201d.<\/p>\n

Wayne had a younger brother Norman and a much younger sister Carol Lee.\u00a0 His mother (Dorothy Gloria Ballard) was a French Catholic, who\u2019s family attended St. Peter Catholic Church<\/a> in Mount Clemens, directly across the street from the predominately German Zion Church.\u00a0 This marriage was not the first, nor the last, time that a Protestant German male married a French Catholic female in Mount Clemens.<\/p>\n

Before Wayne\u2019s birth, his parents delivered a child named Kenny, who did not survive.<\/p>\n

Wayne\u2019s father (Fred) was an auto-parts wholesaler.\u00a0 Essentially, Wayne\u2019s father worked from a panel van, parked at his home each night.\u00a0 In the morning, Fred would drive south down Gratiot Avenue towards Detroit, Michigan.\u00a0 Fred would stop at various auto-parts manufacturers, including namely Champion Spark Plug to purchase inventory for his business.\u00a0 Fred would then drive north on Gratiot past the county seat of Mount Clemens, then onto New Haven and New Baltimore to sell his goods to various independent gas station owners.<\/p>\n

During the war years of WWII, Wayne was too young to be a soldier and his father too old. \u00a0Fred continued his business, with limited supplies due to rationing.\u00a0 The family did as well as any and always had a work automobile.<\/p>\n

In 1941, Wayne\u2019s father Fred and two of Wayne\u2019s three uncles purchased a lake front lot at Parrot\u2019s Pointe on Mullet Lake, near Indian River, Michigan.<\/a>\u00a0 The lot included a running artesian well<\/a>, enough field stone for the foundation and all of the necessary knotty pine lumber required to build the family a cabin.\u00a0 The seller of the property was also a builder, who the three brothers contracted to complete the project.<\/p>\n

Between 1942 and 1960, the three brothers shared the cabin by rotating one summer month each year.\u00a0 One family got June, one July and the third August.\u00a0 The next year they rotated months and so on.\u00a0 For the rest of the year, whomever showed up at the cabin was welcome to stay.<\/p>\n

Wayne learned the art of fishing at the cabin and also embraced deer hunting, a sport his father enjoyed too.\u00a0 In the late 1950s the brothers purchased the two adjacent lots and built cabins for each of the brothers.\u00a0 Wayne\u2019s uncle Louis kept the original cabin until August 1978, when he sold it to Wayne and his brother Norman. \u00a0Ten years later Wayne bought his brother\u2019s share.\u00a0 The cabin remained in the family well after his death and the death of this bride (Barbara).<\/p>\n

Wayne graduated eighth grade from \u201cGreater Gratiot Schools<\/a>\u201d, formerly located where an \u201con ramp\u201d from Gratiot Avenue to Interstate I-94 now exists.<\/p>\n

Childhood friend Robert (Bob) Allard fondly remembered the fun he had with his friend Wayne.\u00a0 One time during recess, Wayne took all the stones and sticks he could find and dammed up a creek behind the school.\u00a0 About fifteen minutes later water began running up under the back door of the school and they had to cancel classes for the rest of the day.<\/p>\n

In High School, Wayne wasn\u2019t particularly an athlete, though he did play first base in middle school.\u00a0 Wayne topped out at five foot eight inches tall, a full five inches shorter than his dad, Fred.\u00a0 Wayne successfully finished his Boys Scouts of America challenges, ultimately earning his Eagle Scout status.\u00a0 Wayne also earned a varsity letter from Mount Clemens High School for stage production, working on several plays with the school players.\u00a0 In high school, Wayne would meet a lifelong friend, Dean Williams.\u00a0 Dean would become the Michigan State Police Post Captain of Cheyboygan, Michigan (a town close to Wayne\u2019s Parrot\u2019s Pointe cabin).<\/p>\n

Wayne purchased and drove his dream car, a 1947 Chrysler Town and Country Convertible<\/a>, which he owned on his HS graduation day.\u00a0 He would forever be a \u201cconvertible man\u201d, owning at least one convertible at all times from 1965 until his death. \u00a0In the early 1970s, Wayne purchased a similar 1947 Chrysler Town and Country Convertible, restoring the vehicle to near original condition.\u00a0 Son, Randall Frederick Kuchenmeister owns that car to this day (2016).<\/p>\n

Of other note, Wayne was a prankster and also loved \u201cpies\u201d of any flavor.\u00a0 Among his first jobs were stocking shelves for Priehs Department Store (Mount Clemens) and S.S. Kresge.<\/a>\u00a0 He pumped gas and did lube jobs at a gas station near the corner of 14-mile and Groesbeck Hwy., where he met a lifelong friend, Clarence (Mac) McPeek.<\/p>\n

Wayne was an enterprising young man who began working at an early age.\u00a0 In 1954 Wayne met the girl of his dreams, Barbara Faye Belcher<\/a>. \u00a0After a whirlwind romance, Wayne and Faye tied the knot on February 12, 1955.\u00a0 While on their honeymoon, Wayne lost his job to a nephew of the gas station owner.\u00a0 He quickly found work at Bundy Tubing.<\/p>\n

Early in 1956, Wayne was laid off from Bundy Tubing. \u00a0Since, Wayne and Faye were expecting their first child, Wayne decided he\u2019d rather be gainfully employed than go on unemployment. It didn\u2019t take Wayne long to find his next job as truck driver for Mill & Howard Wholesale of Mount Clemens<\/a>.\u00a0 Wayne was to start his new job on May 8th, but Faye had other plans. Cheryl, their first child was born on that day and Wayne was given the day off to spend with his family. At work the next day, Wayne began to show his enthusiasm and was soon promoted to counter salesman.<\/p>\n

Most of Wayne\u2019s family sold auto-parts in the area and were very surprised to now have an \u201celectrical expert\u201d in the family. Wayne liked his job and the people he worked with. This was the business he would build his life around.<\/p>\n

With the experience he gained as an electrical parts salesman, Wayne was hired as warehouse manager for the Arnold Young Company<\/a>, an electrical parts sales agency. \u00a0It was during this period, on November 10, 1960, that Faye gave birth to their first son, Rock. \u00a0By this time Wayne had moved to outside sales, where he could make more money. For the next two years Wayne traveled Michigan selling to the electrical industry.\u00a0 Faye and the children often spent the day driving around Michigan with Wayne, packing lunches and eating in public parks.<\/p>\n

In 1957, Wayne and Faye worked with contractor Frank Hader to build their first home.\u00a0 For several years they transported bottle water to the Leona Drive residence, until they could afford to have a well dug by hand at the home.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Wayne\u2019s father tried unsuccessfully to persuade him to join the auto-parts business. However, Wayne now had the electrical wholesale business in his sights and Mill & Howard Wholesale had already closed their business in Mount Clemens. \u00a0Wayne recognized the potential of the local electrical market and began to search for a building. \u00a0On September 9th of 1962, Faye gave birth to a third child, Randall.<\/p>\n

For the new business, Wayne believed a working partner would be helpful and what better a partner could he have than his own brother, Norman? \u00a0The partnership began on October 18, 1962 with a loan from Wayne\u2019s father, as \u201cKuchenmeister Electric Supply<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\n

Originally a feed storage shed, their first building was formerly part of the \u201cMount Clemens Farmers (Wm. Fluemer) <\/span>Mill<\/a>\u201d properties. \u00a0The first business slogan was \u201cService\u201d, which later became \u201cWho serves you faster? Kuchenmeister\u201d. \u00a0Offering fast service was only part of the effort which helped the business thrive. \u00a0Hard work, long hours and family cooperation tied together the successful electrical wholesale business for more than 25 years.<\/p>\n

After twenty-six years, Wayne and Norman decided it was time to divide their business and prepare for the next generation of Kuchenmeister\u2019s, in the electrical supply business. \u00a0After months of planning, the split of the business was conducted over a normal weekend, with both new businesses opening October 31, 1988. \u00a0Many trading partners of Kuchenmeister Electric thought the split was crazy, but both businesses continued to prosper years after the split. \u00a0As his part of the division, Wayne formed the K\/E Electric Supply Corporation<\/a> and continued to managed the business, while turning the reins over to his children.<\/p>\n

For several years, Wayne liked to tell people he was retired, but anyone who knew him will tell you a different story. \u00a0Most of the year you could still find Wayne wearing many different hats and the occasional \u201cgreen coat\u201d around K\/E Electric Supply. \u00a0Counter sales, warehouse manager, public relations director, story teller and \u201cspecific problem solver\u201d are titles that Wayne Kuchenmeister earned. \u00a0His favorite title was \u201cCoordinator\u201d.<\/p>\n

Wayne was a man who looked forward to each morning.\u00a0 He enjoyed the other employees and often sided with them against the \u201cnew management\u201d. \u00a0His children loved this, of course.<\/p>\n

More than forty years in the electrical industry provided a rich life for Wayne and his family. Many friendships developed and various opportunities to serve the community, while earning a living.\u00a0 Along the way, Wayne had always been a true friend to the industry, promoting a strong independent company that is fair to its customers, employees and vendors.<\/p>\n

Wayne Kuchenmeister never really retired from the Electrical Industry. \u00a0Rather than retire, he pulled a \u201cclassic Wayne\u201d and entered a meeting of the new management saying\u2026 \u201cI really don\u2019t want to retire.\u00a0 I think I\u2019ll just QUIT\u201d.<\/p>\n

Wayne and Barbara Faye lived a full life well into their 70s.<\/p>\n

On March 5, 2010 Barbara Faye lost her husband Wayne, the love of her life after fifty-five years of marriage.\u00a0 And finally, on July 21, 2015 Barbara Faye passed away, as a result of complications caused by cancer.<\/p>\n

Wayne and Barbara Faye were well respected in their community and contributed quietly<\/a> to many causes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Portions of this tribute to Wayne Frederick Kuchenmeister were first published on the web site of the company he founded, K\/E Electric Supply Corp. Wayne Frederick Kuchenmeister was born June 6, 1935 in New Haven, Michigan.\u00a0 Wayne\u2019s grandfather Albert Kuchenmeister … read more<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-foundation"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sandboxfoundation.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sandboxfoundation.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sandboxfoundation.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandboxfoundation.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandboxfoundation.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/sandboxfoundation.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":672,"href":"https:\/\/sandboxfoundation.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19\/revisions\/672"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sandboxfoundation.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandboxfoundation.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandboxfoundation.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}