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Obituaries

Frank J. Kuchma | Engineer, 77

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Frank J. Kuchma, 77, of Lansdowne, a retired engineer, died of heart failure Thursday at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Kuchma graduated from West Philadelphia Catholic High School. During the Korean War, he served in the Air Force in Spokane, Wash.

While working as a draftsman for Westinghouse Corp. in Lester, he earned a bachelor's degree in engineering at night from Drexel University. Eventually he became project engineer for Westinghouse power plant installations around the world, including in Saudi Arabia and Mexico City. He was president of the engineers union at Westinghouse.

From 1984 until his retirement in 1994, Mr. Kuchma was an engineer for DuPont Co. in Wilmington.

He was past president of the Lansdowne Swim Club and the Delco Swim League and served on the board of the Lansdowne YMCA.

Mr. Kuchma enjoyed travel and fishing and followed Big Six basketball and Delaware County high school sports. "He never had a bad day and saw good in everyone," said his daughter, Eileen McShane.

Mr. Kuchma is also survived by daughters Kathy McNally and Gerrie Amrein; sons Frank Jr. and Paul; a brother; 16 grandchildren; and his longtime companion, Joan Hunt. His wife of 37 years, Eileen Barton Kuchma, died in 1994.

A Funeral Mass will be said at 10 a.m. today at St. Charles Borromeo Roman Catholic Church, 3422 Dennison Rd., Drexel Hill. Mr. Kuchma was a church usher and designed and installed the church's air-conditioning system. Burial will be in SS. Peter and Paul Cemetery, Marple Township.