Peteris "Pete" Kuzmins' Obituary
Peteris “Pete” Kuzmins. You may have known him as Pete, or Big Pete, maybe even Boss-Man, Jeda or Chief. Regardless, if you knew Pete then you knew his laugh. When Big Pete laughed his ice blue eyes sparkled, his grizzled red and gray striped beard danced on his chest, and his baritone voice ricocheted through hearts. Every chapter of his life was jam packed with stories that he was unafraid to share. Each best served with a home cooked meal and a bottle of cognac or Black Velvet, or red wine or white wine, or Pabst or Genny Cream Ale... you get the point. In this way he was the consummate fireman. Some stories were tragic, others brimmed with adventure and most were punctuated with his trademark laugh. He viewed each retelling as an opportunity to connect with others and grow.
He was born and lived in a German refugee camp until he was 5 years old. As soon as he could walk he transformed himself into an American muscle car, complete with smoking tailpipes, and raced around the makeshift community of tents and temporary buildings. In 1951, the young boy boarded a hulking trans-Atlantic steam ship destined for the Port of New Orleans. He was accompanied by his mom, his dad, a single suitcase stuffed with everything they owned, and a curious spirit.
The young family was anxious to see America; after all, the streets were paved in gold. As their train headed west from the port city and labored across the Louisiana swamps, the 5 year old quipped to his young mother, in his native Russian tongue, “Where’s all the gold?”
It’s undeniable that his first moments in New Orleans inspired that young boy. He recalled how the strange new sound of jazz filled the train station air. While his mom covered her ears, and his father struggled to decipher the English language signs overhead, that young boy’s soul was unsuspectingly touched. Pete went on to harbor a love for the hectic, unorthodox sound of jazz. He also went on to live his life like a jazz musician improvising an unforgettable one-of-a kind tune.
Pete lived his life on his terms, unconstrained by other’s rules, and that made him undeniably one-of-a-kind. He was a refugee, an immigrant, a greaser, glazier, and a blazer, military police officer, dock hand, and fireman, herbalist, cyclist, carpenter, gardener and mycophile among other things. Pete would go on to find gold with his family who he adored and his two boys who he raised in the same untraditional tradition.
Pete loved everyone, condemned no one and remained curious through his last day. This world could no longer contain his searching soul and he broke free of his earthly binds overnight on July 6, 2022. He was preceded in death by his faithful father (Janis/John) and his tenacious mother (Jekaterina/Katherine). Big Pete’s unbridled spirit survives in his loving former wife (Marilyn), five precocious grandchildren (Mark, Max, Lillian, Evelyn & Peter), his two grateful sons –Peter (Barbie) (nee Stroup) and Paul (Melanie) (nee Sternad) - and all the people who were fortunate enough to have been in ear shot of his infectious laugh.
VISITATION TUESDAY from 4 to 8PM at YURCH FUNERAL HOME, 5618 Broadview Rd. Parma, OH 44134. PARASTAS SERVICE at 7PM. FUNERAL SERVICE WEDNESDAY JULY 13, 2022 at 10AM at ST. THEODOSIUS ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL, 733 Starkweather Ave Cleveland, OH 44113. Interment at St. Theodosius Cemetery with Army Honors. Following the interment everyone is invited to a celebration of life gathering and outside reception at Vino Veritas, 4103 Memphis Ave. Cleveland OH 44109 from 1 to 5 PM.
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