Clara Louise “Lou” (Van Nuis) Kumler, devoted wife of 60 years and mother to three boys, passed away on November 1, 2018. Lou was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey on June 25, 1925 to parents Percy Lyle Van Nuis and Clara Weigel Van Nuis. She graduated from Highland Park High School and attended Rutgers University - Douglass Campus, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education in 1947. Lou worked for Johnson & Johnson Personal Products upon graduation, but later made a career of raising her children and supporting her husband … a role in which she performed flawlessly.
Lou married George Harter Kumler on November 15, 1958, moving to Newark, Delaware in 1970, Sulphur, Louisiana in 1972 and Greenville, SC in 2012. As her educational background would suggest, Lou was very active, enjoying swimming, boating, golf, bridge and the many other activities in which her sons participated. She was a tireless volunteer with the Sulphur High School Marching Band, chaperoning many field trips that her sons attended and managing numerous fundraisers. She also served as a volunteer with the Sulphur nonprofit organization, Care Help. Lou very much enjoyed the annual family beach vacations, something that she looked forward to the entire year.
Lou had a soft spot for animals, including the many turtles, dogs and cats that the family adopted over the years. She was a member of the First Reformed Church of New Brunswick and very active with the Westminster Presbyterian Church of Sulphur. Lou was predeceased by her brother, Edgar Lyle Van Nuis, who passed on July 5, 2017. She is survived by husband George H. Kumler; sons Paul V. Kumler (Ginger Smith Kumler), Alan H. Kumler (Kristy Spaeth Kumler), and Scott W. Kumler (Julie Jordan Kumler); seven grandchildren David Kumler, Lauren Kumler Avance (Alex Avance), Brady Kumler, Daniel Kumler, Allie Kumler, Jordan Kumler, and Ashley Kumler; and two great-granddaughters Elise Avance and Clara Avance. The family will hold a private service celebrating Lou’s life. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimer's Association (alz.org) would be appreciated, as Lou suffered with dementia and would greatly appreciate anything you could do to help alleviate this illness.