FBA: Life, Death & Business (Feb 2026)

Life, Death & Business: The Kuhn Family Story

Few businesses are as steeped in tradition, emotion and unspoken curiosity as a family-owned funeral home.
 
Join the Family Business Alliance for the first installment of its 2026 FBA Storytelling Series as it pulls back the curtain on a profession many are fascinated by—but rarely get to explore. This session features the Kuhn Family, who will share what it’s really like to build, grow and pass down a funeral home business across generations.
 
From navigating deeply personal moments with families, to balancing legacy with modernization, to working side-by-side in a business centered on life’s most inevitable reality, the Kuhns will offer an honest, behind-the-scenes look at their family enterprise—beyond the stereotypes and into the realities.
 
Presenters will include Edward Kuhn, Jr., Michael Kuhn, Rachel Kuhn and Michael Kuhn, Jr., providing multi-generational perspectives on leadership, succession and sustaining a business where trust and compassion are everything.
 
The morning will begin with a continental breakfast and networking, followed by a welcome and an engaging storytelling presentation. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions during a live Q&A and continue the conversation during post-program networking.
 
Whether you’re part of a family business, curious about succession planning or simply intrigued by an industry few truly understand, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

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Edward Kuhn, Jr. | Co-Owner & Supervisor
Edward J. Kuhn Jr. is a lifelong resident of West Reading. He is the son of the late Edward J. Kuhn Sr., the founder of Kuhn Funeral Homes, and Loretta C. (Boland) Kuhn.

Ed is the husband of Lynda (Hudson) Kuhn and has five children: Edward J. III, husband of Jill Kuhn; Michael R., husband of Rachel, both of Wyomissing; Dr. Andrew Kuhn, husband of Tonya Lawrence of Elkins Park, PA; David J. Kuhn, husband of Jill Cremer of McLean, VA; and Elizabeth (Kuhn), wife of Jed Chandler of White Marsh, MD. Ed is extremely proud of his 15 grandchildren, Austin, Cassidy, Seth, Benjamin, Michael Jr., Grace, Molly, Avery, Brady, Campbell, Avery, Brynn, Cole, Tessa, and Gavin.

He is a member of Sacred Heart R.C. Church, where he is an Extraordinary Minister. Ed is the director of the West Reading Summer Basketball League, which he started in 1965. Through this league he began the West Reading/ Sacramento, CA Basketball Cultural Exchange Program in 1972, which continues to thrive today.

In 2014, Ed received the Wyomissing Area Education Foundation Distinguished Alumni Award for his long-standing commitment to both the West Reading School District, and more recently, to the Wyomissing Area School District.

He was inducted into the Berks County Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011, and the Berks Chapter of the PA Sports Hall of Fame in 2015. Ed is a 1959 graduate of West Reading High School, where he was a member of the state basketball championship team.

In 1963, he graduated from Mount St. Mary's University, Emmitsburg, MD, where he served as president of student government and was inducted into the Mount Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007. In 2013, he received the Brute Medal from Mt. St. Mary's University. The medal is the highest honor given to an alumnus who distinguishes himself in his community and shows a continuous loyalty to The Mount.

He was a graduate of American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service, NY, in 1966. Ed considers it an honor that he has been able to serve families for 50 years in Berks County. 
In 2019, he received the Rabbi Alan Weitzman Award for Community Service from Alvernia University. The Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society Community Champion Award was presented to Ed on March 19, 2020, for his outstanding efforts and contribution to the advancement of recreation and parks.

His steady hand as the second-generation leader of Kuhn Funeral Homes has been a source of strength for five decades.

Michael Kuhn | Co-Owner & President
Michael Kuhn is president of Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc., West Reading. He is a partner with his father, Ed, and his wife, Rachel. Mike and Rachel also own Kuhn Funeral Home & Crematory in Temple, Burkey & Driscoll Funeral Home in Hamburg, Warker-Troutman Funeral Home in Pottstown, Pet Cremations by Kuhn, and Dohner Memorials.
 
Born and raised in West Reading, Mike graduated from Sacred Heart, Holy Name High School, and Mt. St. Mary's University. After graduating from The Mount, Mike taught 7th and 8th grade for two years at St. Elizabeth's Parochial School in Rockville, MD. He went to mortuary school at New England Institute in Newton, MA, where he graduated in 1994. Mike did his internship at Kuhn Funeral Home and became a licensed funeral director in 1995.
 
With 27 years of experience, Mike brings much expertise to the family business. Mike manages the highly qualified Kuhn Funeral Home staff, emphasizing the importance of hard work, dedication, compassion, professionalism, selflessness, and humility. He enjoys brainstorming, goal setting, and executing future plans for the business. Preplanning with individuals and families is a task Mike has always found rewarding. Above all else, Mike finds great satisfaction in helping a family when they experience a loss. 
 
Michael is serving on the President's Advisory Council for Alvernia University.
 
A sports enthusiast, Mike played soccer, basketball, and track in high school, and he continued his soccer career at Mt. St. Mary's University. Mike was inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame at both Holy Name High School and Mt. St. Mary's University. He is currently the Berks Catholic Jr. High boys basketball coach.
 
Mike is the husband of Rachel (Winans) Kuhn and has three children: Michael Jr., Molly, and Brady. He is also the daddy of his naughty dog, McCoy.
 
Mike considers it a great honor and privilege to continue the legacy of providing caring, compassionate, and dignified service to those that call on Kuhn Funeral Home and their affiliated partners for a third generation.  

Rachel Kuhn | Co-Owner & Professional Services
Rachel (Winans) Kuhn, married to Michael, is a native of Wyomissing, graduating from Wyomissing High School in 1990. She went on to receive a B.A. in Communications from Villanova University, graduating cum laude in 1994. She earned her M.A. in Communications from the Pennsylvania State University in 1996 and began working in the advertising industry.
 
In 2000, she completed her teaching certification in secondary education from Alvernia University and taught high school English for a number of years.
 
Rachel is a proud mother to her three children, Mikey, Molly and Brady, and has enjoyed her time as a stay-at-home mom.
 
In more recent years, Rachel has concentrated her leadership abilities by serving on the Board of Directors for the Olivet Boys & Girls Club and VOiCEup. She currently serves as the Youth Advisory Board director for Youth Volunteer Corps of Reading and the Ski Club Advisor for Wyomissing High School. In 2014-15, she served as president of the Junior League of Reading and continues to be a part of the League as a sustaining member.
 
Rachel works part-time for the funeral home managing all accounts, serving as a consultant, assisting as needed with the written word, and on occasion, overseeing funerals.

Michael Kuhn, Jr. | Advance & Immediate Care Specialist
Mikey Kuhn is the son of Mike and Rachel Kuhn and the grandson of Ed Kuhn. He graduated from Wyomissing Area Junior Senior High School in 2020 and attended Penn State University. He began helping at Kuhn Funeral Homes during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and began working full-time a few years later.
 
He finds satisfaction in helping families through the bereavement process and enjoys working with his family. Mikey is a certified cremation operator, insurance agent, and student at the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Sciences’ online program. He is also an assistant boys’ soccer coach at Wilson High School.