John P. Wunderle, 90, Authority on Kent Canal and Railroad History

In June 2010, John P. Wunderle, the , gave a talk on the History of Transportation and Railroads at the historic Erie Railroad Shops, now the home of Davey Drill on West Williams Street.

Halfway through his presentation, a train on the B&O tracks went by with its whistle blowing. The crowd oohed. Then Wunderle said, "There will be three more whistles."

He took that opportunity to explain the whys and wherefores of train whistles, while seeming to cue each whistle, until resuming his prepared talk after the last whistle sounded.

“He loved to know how things worked, and he loved to explain them so you knew how they worked,” said Sandy Halem, president of the Kent Historical Society.

A few months later, Wunderle’s health began to fail. He died Friday, April 22, at age 90. 

“It’s a shock that he even became ill,” said senior KHS board member Jim Myers. “He was just so full of life.”

Wunderle was born March 15, 1921, in Cleveland and lived in Kent since 1929.

The 1938 graduate worked at Standard Drug store before taking a job with Ohio Bell in 1939.

During World War II, Wunderle served in the Army Air Forces as an instructor pilot. He taught instrument flying for B-25s and went on to B-17 transition training. He was scheduled to go to the South Pacific as a commander on a B-29 when the war ended.

Wunderle returned to the phone company, where he worked until retiring in 1981.

He was a trustee of the Canal Society of Ohio and Kent Historical Society. He also belonged to the Akron Train Club, Sons and Daughters of Pioneer Rivermen, Kent Rotary and Telephone Pioneers.

Wunderle shared his “Memories of Kent” on the KHS website.

He built a detailed HO-scale model of downtown Kent with the railroad and canal, aimed at educating children, for the John Wunderle Train Room at the now-relocated KHS museum.

“What he did was priceless,” Halem said.

Wunderle named the model canal boat on the exhibit the “Mary Lou” in honor of his wife of 65 years.

In addition to his wife, Mary Lou, survivors include his children, John Jr., Tim, Susanne Blok and Laurie Knuth; 13 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and brothers, Carl and Frank.

Calling hours are 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, April 26, at , 628 West Main St.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 27, at , 313 N. DePeyster St.

The John Wunderle Train Room will be rebuilt at at 237 East Main St., which will open to the public on June 18.