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(Greatest Joy In Life Was Being A Mother)
Marie Agnes Kunkel, 81, of Pettisville, formerly of Huntington, Indiana, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on June 27, 2026.
She was born on May 21, 1945, in Ottoville, Ohio, to Clarence E. and Caroline E. (Klima) Maag. On April 7, 1972, Marie married the love of her life and true soulmate Phillip J. Kunkel.
Together in Bryan, Ohio, they laid the foundation for a beautiful life built on faith, devotion, and shared happiness. Marie’s greatest joy in life was her role as a mother. She poured her heart into raising all the children as one family.
As the family expanded further to include grandchildren, her capacity to love only multiplied, and she treasured every moment spent watching her family flourish and develop. Family always came first for Marie.
Marie spent her life working inside and outside the home. Throughout her career she helped others in nursing homes, served customers at local grocery stores, and sat beside Phil as they ran a business for lawn mowing and small engine repairs.
In 2003, Marie began her final professional career at Victory Noll in Huntington, Indiana. She dedicated 10 years of service to caring for the retired nuns who resided there before retiring in 2013.
Marie is survived by her six children, Monica A. Young of Fort Wayne, Indiana, James R. (Jackie) Lucas of Bryan, Ohio, Angela S. Wallace of Kalida, Ohio, Jodi A. Altaffer of Montpelier, Ohio, Nikki R. (Michael) Meadows of Swanton, Ohio, and Cynthia M. (Wyatt) Vickery of Pettisville, Ohio; 15 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and four siblings, Leon Maag of Bryan, Ohio, Frank (Gale) Maag of West Unity, Ohio, Diane Hicks of Continental, Ohio, and Linda Morningstar of Montpelier, Ohio.
Marie was greeted in Heaven by her parents; her lifelong love Phillip; three brothers, Clarence E. Maag, Edward Maag, and Oscar Maag; and three sisters, Julie Taylor, Dorothy Bigger, and Carol Jean Gibbs.
Visitation for Marie will be held on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Thompson Funeral Home on Main Street in Montpelier. A funeral service will take place on Thursday, July 2, 2026, at 11 a.m. at the funeral home. Interment to follow at Shiffler Cemetery in Bryan.
Memorials may be given in Marie’s memory to Williams County Cancer Assistance or Hospice of Northwest Ohio. Condolences may be left for the family at www.thethompsonfuneralhome.com.
