Jerry Kunselman

Jerry Lee Kunselman, 77, of Longmont, CO died Sat. September 12, 2015 while doing what he loved, fishing. Although she always saw him living well into his 90s, Barb Hunter takes some solace that Jerry Lee Kunselman died doing what he loved — fishing at Boulder Reservoir. "That was his passion," Hunter said. "It started with him going fishing with his dad when he was a young man." A passing cyclist found Kunselman, 77, lying in the water Saturday. A memorial service is planned for the longtime Longmont resident at 11 a.m. Friday at Westview Presbyterian Church, 1500 Hover St. Hunter said her husband of 38 years retired from StorageTek and stayed at home for about two years, but he couldn't stand not being around people, so he walked to the Safeway a few blocks from his house and got a job at Starbucks. That was nearly 15 years ago. "Jerry wanted to be the oldest barista at Starbucks," Hunter said. "The customers at Starbucks were not his customers. They were his friends. That's the way he looked at them." Coworker Angelica Arritola described Kunselman as an energetic man always wearing a smile who would find things for her and her coworkers to do when business was slow. "He was always joking," Arritola said. "He told us to enjoy life because we were young and had a long way to go." Advertisement She said she has only worked at Starbucks for three months, but Kunselman acted like he had known her for years and treated everyone he came into contact with the same way. "He was a great man," Arritola said. "He was like family to everyone he met and everyone at work. We will miss him dearly. We loved him very much." Hunter said she met her husband when the two worked at StorageTek and admits that she didn't like him at first, but he grew on her. "I was a production manager, and he was working on the machines," Hunter said. "I was trying to get one out so I could get it shipped on time. He told me if he got it working, I had to go out to dinner with him." Hunter has a daughter, and Kunselman had a son and daughter from previous marriages. The two share nine grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. She said Kunselman also had many friends and was good with children. "He was a very genuine person," she said. "He genuinely cared about his customers, his friends and his acquaintances. It wasn't a front with him." With her outspoken husband gone, it was quiet at Hunter's house Tuesday, save for the couple's three dogs, one of whom, Ben, has been waiting for Kunselman to come home like he did every day. "I didn't just lose my husband," Hunter said. "I lost my best friend. I confided in him. If anyone could make me laugh, it was him. He went out of his way to make sure he did that." Carroll-Lewellen Funeral & Cremation Services is in charge of arrangements. Service Information A service summary is not available