Barbara Lynn Kuzma, “Barbie,” age 76, died peacefully in her home on Saturday, Aug. 6, 2022.
Barb was born Aug. 3, 1946, in Erie, Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of Clifford “Jack” Hill and Claire Elizabeth (Briggs) Hill. Barb grew up in Wesleyville, Pennsylvania, with two younger brothers, Craig and Donald Hill.
Barb graduated from Wesleyville High School in 1964. While in high school, Barb was the Wesleyville Bulldog’s varsity cheerleading squad captain. After high school, Barb went to Slippery Rock University in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania. She earned her degree there in physical education in 1969. Barb met Greg Kuzma while studying at Slippery Rock University. The two of them were married Aug. 24, 1968. The couple married in Wesleyville, Pennsylvania.
In 1969, Gregory accepted a creative writing teaching position at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Barb and Greg initially moved to Lincoln near the UN-L campus. Later, they bought a house in Crete, and have lived at that residence for more than 50 years. As a young mother and new Crete community member, Barb became active in the Crete Community theater program. She acted in roles that were staged at Sokol Hall in Crete. Later, she also tried out for and accepted acting roles as part of the then Doane College summer theater program.
Barb began teaching part time at Crete Elementary School in 1977 at the age of 31. In 1979, she went full time. She was hired to be the gifted education teacher. She created the curriculum for the program and taught a plethora of classes to elementary students. These included but were not limited to: theater, Greek mythology, art, math, magic, computer coding, notable Nebraskans and games. Mrs. Kuzma made a huge and significant impact on her students. She accomplished many things. Not only did she develop the Enrichment program, she created a newspaper page called “For Kids, by Kids” that ran weekly in the Crete News.
When the internet was invented and becoming available, Barb was one of two people in the United States who made it available to her students and peer staff members. She wired the elementary for the internet and made a VHS video called “This Wired Schoolhouse.” The instructional video was shared to other educational institutions countrywide. Barb started a daily announcement system for the elementary school called “Cardinal Nest News” also known as “CNN.” The announcements were given by elementary students, videotaped and shared in all the elementary classrooms each morning. She started the robotics program at Crete High School, won regionals, and took the team to the national competition in Atlanta, Georgia.
As part of a Toshiba competition at the elementary school, Mrs. Kuzma’s students designed the “milk dot,” a packaging sensor that indicated when milk in the carton was sour and no longer good enough to drink. Each of the students involved in the project was given $10,000 for their future educational endeavors.
Some of her other achievements included: taking the Quiz Bowl Team to the state competition, partnering Doane University professors with middle school students for educational purposes, and with her students, painting a map of the world on the elementary school playground. During her teaching days, Barb coached both the girls’ and boys’ Crete High School tennis teams. She also coached the Doane University women’s tennis team.
Mrs. Kuzma retired from teaching in May of 2008. She then substitute taught for the Crete Public schools through the 2017-2018 school year.
Barbie will be remembered by those who knew her as a physically fit, healthy and strong woman. She recreationally and competitively played tennis for years. She loved playing ping-pong, gardening, landscaping, beautifying her home, spending time with her family and playing pickleball.
Barbara Lynn Kuzma is survived by her husband, Gregory Kuzma of Crete; daughter, Jacquelyn Claire Kuzma and husband, Michael Schultze of Crete; her son, Mark Jeffrey Kuzma, who recently resided in the Philippines; her mother, Claire E. Hill of Harborcreek, Pennsylvania; brother, Craig Hill and sister-in-law, Joan Hill of Bowie, Maryland; brother, Donald Hill and sister-in-law, Cindi Hill of Wesleyville, Pennsylvania; granddaughter, Alexis Sky Kuzma Bartlett, who recently resided in Madrid, Spain; two nephews and a niece from Pennsylvania; a nephew currently living in Vietnam and her life-time best friend, Lynne Cristiano.
Barb is preceded in death by her father, Clifford “Jack” Hill of Harborcreek, Pennsylvania; father-in-law, “Harry” Gregory Kuzma of Rome, New York; mother-in-law, Lillian Kuzma; and brother-in-law, Jeffery Kuzma also of Rome, New York.
The Kuzma family has chosen not to have a public service or celebration of life. Barb’s celebration of life has been ongoing for the last several weeks. She and the family have accepted visitors at their home and entertained an open-to-the-public event where nearly 85 people attended. Barb enjoyed her finals days with friends and loved ones. She said so many times, “I have so many friends” and was shocked at how many people reached out to tell her how important she was in their lives and how much they loved and respected her.
Barb and her family have been blessed by friends, family and community support after her diagnosis of brain cancer in June of 2022. She touched the lives of everyone who knew her: family, students, friends and the Crete community.
The Kuzma family is very grateful, thankful and appreciative for all the flowers, food, gifts and cards of love and support. In lieu of flowers, food or gifts, please contribute to the family’s wishes to create a Barbara Lynn Kuzma Education Scholarship to be awarded annually to a Crete High School graduate who intends on becoming a teacher and/or to the Glioblastoma Foundation for brain cancer research.
In addition to thanking all who loved and cared for Barb, the family would also like to thank her doctors, Tabitha Hospice staff and the Hosanna home-healthcare-team. In the transition between life and death, these wonderful people provided the family with good days with Barb, hope, much-needed help, support, hugs, friendship, love and care.
