Reta Francis Kuhns passed away on January 30, 2025 in Olive Branch, Mississippi. Born on December 16, 1938, Reta was known for her love of God and her family, her kind and generous heart, and her compassion toward others and all of God’s creatures, particularly the hundreds of four-legged friends she cared for over her life!

She will be lovingly remembered by her husband William Kuhns, her 3 daughters–Julie Capranica, Jeanne Franklin, and Rose Fleer, her stepdaughter Deborah Kuhns, her 11 grandchildren, and 8 great grandchildren!

Preceding her in death are her first husband and father of her children Joseph Capranica, parents Roy Tutt and Gertrude Tutt of Springfield, Illinois, brother Roy Tutt Jr., sister Eloise Gooden, sister Virginia Field, and sister Sharon Williams.

Survivors include her husband: William Kuhns of Byhalia, MS, her daughters: Julie Capranica of Crawford, CO, Jeanne Franklin of Olive Branch, MS, and Rose Fleer of Hernando, MS, grandchildren: Joshua Sherrock, Jacob Sherrock, Joseph Sherrock, and Janie Smigel, Blake Franklin, Lucas Franklin, and Sadie Franklin, Isabella Fleer, Bryan Fleer, Josiah Fleer, and Sophia Fleer, 8 great-grandchildren, and siblings: Shirley Puckett and Patsy Tutt.

Reta loved well and deeply as she knew the love of Jesus Christ for her. “Let the little children come to me” are Jesus’s words that Reta followed in her own life as she adored children and poured her love and time into hundreds of kids over the years. She ran a preschool and daycare out of her home and dedicated much of her life to educating them through her creative and artistic ideas. “Miss Reta” taught the alphabet and read books to, did art projects with, and shuttled kids to various fun activities (skating, swimming, movies, and more) over the years! She was dutiful and diligent in her work and full of energy and strength.

In her retirement days, she has enjoyed caring for horses with her husband Bill, loving on her cats and dogs, and faithfully attending her grandkids events or mailing packages of books and sweet cards to the ones far away!

The loss of Reta is deeply felt by her own family, church family, and the many families over the years who had the privilege to know her and receive her care.

A memorial service and celebration of life is to be scheduled on June 8th of 2025 at 12:30pm at Grace Anglican Church in Olive Branch, Mississippi (2251 Hwy 305) with a gathering afterwards at 4pm for family and friends at the Franklin home (4390 Payne Parkway St. Olive Branch, Mississippi). Reta had chosen to be cremated and her ashes spread over the beautiful lake at her home in Byhalia, Mississippi.

Send to someone

Share this obituary with others

https://everloved.com/life-of/reta-kuhns/obituary/

Copy