An accomplished San Diego musician and friend to many, John Kuhlken passed away on Friday after being hospitalized with a blood infection.
John played drums for myriad local bands, including Sara Petite and the Sugar Daddies, the Nards, Brawley, Deep in the Shed and the Targets.
According to a story in the San Diego Union-Tribune, where John had worked as an ad copywriter for about 20 years, John suffered from non-Hodgkin lymphoma but had been in remission for most of the past decade after a bone-marrow transplant.
“He was one of the most positive people I’ve ever met,” writes Steve Poltz in his blog. “Not only was he a great drummer but he was a sweet friend to everyone he came across. He was always out at shows either playing drums with his long time girlfriend Sara Petite or just attending and ALWAYS giving some sort of enthusiastic support.
“My thoughts and prayers go out to Sara. He loved playing music and being around music and hanging out until late chatting about songs and life. Talk about warm big hearted smiles, John had the warmest and the brightest of them all. I never heard him complain once when he was sick from treatment.”
Friends have set up a Facebook page to honor John Kuhlken’s memory.
I liked John a lot… he was a really nice guy. I knew him when he was in the Macanannys. I remember that he had gotten really sick even before we left San Diego 10 years ago. I’m really sorry to hear that he died.
Here are memorial details:
Friday, May 27 · 4:00pm -- 6:00pm
Normal Heights Methodist Church
4650 Mansfield Street
San Diego, CA
Wake & “Love-Fest” to follow at The Ould Sod
3373 Adams Ave, San Diego, CA 92116
“It has been requested that, in lieu of flowers please make a contribution in John’s name to The City of Hope or another charity of your choice. Thank you.”
I knew John since Pershing Jr. HS. I’ve got so many great memories of John. He was one of the funniest people I’ve known, and without a doubt the kindest. I will cherish the memories of John forever. He fought cancer with grace and courage. I never heard him complain once about his treatments. I used to meet him near Sharp Hospital for his chemo rounds. We’d sit and watch surf movies as they hooked him up with the chemo. I remember John looking around the open room at others who were in different stages of chemotherapy and commenting that so many of them had it worse than him. Always the optimist…always thinking of others…we’d talk about surfing as we watched the videos. I feel blessed to have been part of life as do all others who knew him. John was so much, for so many and will live on in our collective memory….I miss you buddy. Kurt
Here’s an appreciation of John Kuhlken on the SD Reader site.