Obituary of John E. Kutz

John “Jack” Kutz, passed away on Sunday, February 21st, 2021, at Riverview Medical Center, Red Bank, at the age of 85.  Mr. Kutz was born and raised in Glen Lyon, PA and has resided and worked in Monroe Township since 1958.  He is predeceased by his parents, Irene (Adamovich) and Joseph Kutz; his brother, Donald Kutz; and his wife of 53 years, Jean (Prebish) Kutz.

He is survived by his son, Darren J. Kutz of Monroe Township; daughter, Jeannie Kutz of Holmdel; son-in-law, Adrian M. Pristas of Holmdel; sister-in-law, Nancy Prebish of Sugar Notch, PA; grandson, Zachary Kutz of Eagle, ID; granddaughter, Erin Kutz and husband, Brad Rheault of Worcester, MA.

John looked back fondly on the years he spent in the small coal mining town he was raised in.   He often spoke of playing tin can ball or cooking potatoes against the curb on the sidewalks.  If he wasn’t playing on Coal St. or in the “alley”, he, his brother, and friends were at the strip mines swimming.  Throughout his years at Newport High School, he was a member of the school basketball, football, and baseball teams in addition to running the Gun Club.

After graduating from Millersville University, John soon met the love of his life, Jean, who he was married to for 53 years until her passing in 2010.  Upon moving to New Jersey, John began teaching in the Monroe Township school system.  The majority of those years he spent teaching science at Applegarth Middle School.  He will be remembered for his quick wit and endless sense of humor.  There wasn’t anywhere he would go where he didn’t run into a past student that was delighted to see him.  For many years, John also ran the sports program at the New Jersey State Home for Boys Juvenile Detention Center in Monroe.

John’s love for hunting, fishing, and nature was showcased throughout his personal and professional life. Whether he was in a classroom or with his family at his lake house in Pennsylvania, he taught us all an appreciation for the outdoors. 

Above all, John taught us the life lessons that mattered most. He lived by the motto that anything is attainable through hard work and determination. Always leading by example, he put his loved ones before anyone else, and instilled in us the importance of being there for eachother. His legacy will live on, through the way his family continues to live.

This loss is a void that can never be filled, but it leaves us with the lifelong memories, stories, and adventures that he has created amongst his family and lifelong friends.  His kindness, loyalty, and generosity will live on forever.