Kurt Kauth

KURT GUSTAV KAUTH, 77 Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Veteran Polk County Sheriff""s Department Lakeland " Kurt Gustav Kauth, born January 10, 1935 in Sehmen, Latvia, died May 26, 2012 in Lakeland, FL. He died from complications of cancer. He is survived by his loving spouse, Kaethe Kauth, his two children, Ilona Kochenburger and Holger Woldrich; two grandchildren, Aliesha Bishop and John Patrick McGowan; son-in-law Philip A. Kochenburger, and four sisters, Ruta, Ingrid, Elli and Waltraut. Kurt served proudly in the U.S. Army, active duty, from June 21, 1966 through August 3, 1972 serving two tours in Vietnam, and received the Vietnam Service Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. He re-enlisted in the National Guard, serving with HHB 2d BN 116 FA in Lakeland, Florida until his retirement as a Staff Sergeant in 1989 after serving as the Radar Section Chief and Radar Repair. During his service in the Florida National Guard, Kurt also worked as an assistant foreman at Piper Aircraft for ten years, then as a Detention Deputy for the Polk County Sheriff""s office for over ten years until he retired in 1996. Kurt was an avid RC airplane enthusiast and active member of the American Legion. A memorial service will be held at Heath Funeral Chapel this Friday, June 1, at 10:00 A.M. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Disabled American Veterans, 2612 North Tampa Street, Tampa, FL 33602. Service: 06/01/2012 Heath Funeral Chapel 328 South Ingraham Avenue, Lakeland, FL 33801