Thellea Leveque
Gary David Kukes, MD, PhD, 83, passed away on October 2, 2024.
Gary was born on September 24, 1941 in Detroit, Michigan, to Beatrice (Winsen) and Joseph Kukes. Growing up in Detroit shaped who he was and he often reminisced fondly about the old days in the neighborhood, sharing stories about antics with his siblings and his pack of first cousins. At age 19, he moved to California, living there for 54 years before settling down in Rochester, Minnesota in 2015 for retirement. Gary welcomed his cherished daughter, Thellea in 1974. Gary partnered with his loving wife, Lynn, in 1980, and they spent 44 wonderful years together.
Gary graduated from Mumford High School in 1959 and went on to UCLA, where he earned his undergraduate degree in Zoology, his Ph.D. in Neuroanatomy, followed by his Medical Degree in 1977. Gary completed his residency in Pathology at UCLA in 1981. To honor their commitment to the importance of education, Gary and Lynn established and endowed the Kukes Trainee Travel Award to support graduate students in neurobiology at UCLA. Gary worked as a pathologist at the VA Long Beach Healthcare System for 28 years and held an academic appointment at the UC Irvine School of Medicine.
Gary loved to learn and was endlessly curious about the world of nature, science, medicine and history. He was an amateur astronomer who enjoyed space photography and even built a miniature telescope observatory on his deck in California. He was also a stamp and coin collector, diving into American history through these hobbies. Gary’s keen interest in mental health and the human psyche helped him navigate his sometimes unquiet mind. He was always striving for deeper understanding and truth.
Gary placed a high value on lifelong learning, but he also made time for fun and family. He was an avid hockey and baseball fan, especially cheering on the Detroit Tigers. He was a loving and zany dad to Thellea, sharing everything from bowling outings and trips to the Santa Monica pier to Woody Allen movies, Jewish deli brunches, and visits to the UCLA medical library. Gary had a wonderfully quirky and silly sense of humor that could bring a bit of wildness to every moment all while being sincere and wise in ways that left a lasting impact on everyone around him.
In 2013, Gary met his real-life angel and organ donor, Lisa Kutzke. Lisa’s selfless kidney donation to Gary gave him an additional 11 years of time on earth to spend with family and dear friends. In honor of Lisa and her late brother, Mark, Gary and Lynn provided support to her hometown medical charity organization, 4PeteSake, in Spring Green, Wisconsin and the ties between the Kutzke and Kukes families will forever remain strong.
Gary is survived by his wife Lynn Sandweiss Kukes; daughter and son-in-law Thellea Kukes Leveque and JC Leveque; first wife, Dixie Kukes Noble and her son, Kelly Day; grandchildren Ansel Kukes Leveque and Sabina Kukes Leveque; sister Nance Kukes; brother and sister-in-law Roger Kukes and Linnea Gilson; siblings-in-law Joan Bernard, James Sandweiss and Paul Sandweiss; and angel kidney donor Lisa Kutzke and family. Gary was preceded in death by his father Joseph Kukes; his mother and stepfather Beatrice and Samuel Goldstein; cousin Andrew Kukes, and sister Toby (Kukes) Alves.
Contributions in lieu of flowers in Gary's memory can be made to
The International Dark Sky Discovery Center
https://darkskycenter.org/donate/
https://darkskycenter.org/donate/
This organization’s goal is to inspire future scientists and people of all ages to understand how important dark skies are for the well-being of humans, plants, and animals, and for opening a window to the observable universe.
An internment ceremony at Clover Hill Park Cemetery and a celebration of life party will be arranged in Detroit, Michigan for family and friends on the weekend before Thanksgiving 2024.
