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John Harry "Jack" Kutz, a resident of Albuquerque, passed away December 11, 2006. He was a vibrant, loving, and passionate free spirit who lived his beliefs. He was a gifted writer, story-teller, human-rights and environmental activist and a pioneering rock-climber. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, LaDonna Joy; son, Terry John; daughter, Peggy Jo; and parents, Oswald and Grace. He is survived by his daughter, Julie Ann; son-in-law, Brian Cobble; brother, Robert William "Bob" Kutz; and doggie "Lucky Lucy". Jack was born in Lexington, NE on June 27, 1932 where he met and married LaDonna Debban and began working for the telephone company in 1954 as a lineman. He moved to New Mexico in 1962 with LaDonna, Terry and Julie. He and LaDonna began their exploration of the west and became expert technical rock climbers, making numerous first ascents of the Sandia Mountains. They were active in the New Mexico Mountain Club, Mountain Rescue and the New Mexico Wilderness Study Committee. A growing environmental awareness led them to become activists for the preservation of wilderness. Jack's writing at the time included stories about the west, and he wrote investigative articles for the former "Seers" newspaper. After 26 years with the phone company, Jack retired to devote all his time to writing and activism. He wrote over seven books including the popular Mysteries and Miracles of New Mexico. He continued to fight for environmental causes and for peace and social justice. He stood up to bulldozers that were illegally blazing roads in federally-protected wilderness. He was a Witness for Peace in Mexico, and a peace delegate in Nicaragua. He traveled to Cuba as part of the Venceremos Brigade and he and LaDonna traveled to Nicaragua as volunteer workers to help pick cotton. After LaDonna passed away five years ago, Jack's heart was never the same, yet even then he remained active, protesting the US invasion of Iraq and fighting the oil companies that threatened to drill on public lands of New Mexico. He was greatly loved by family, neighbors, and friends, and his entertaining stories, great intellect and humor will be sorely missed. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, December 16, 2006 at 1:00 p.m. at Strong-Thorne Mortuary, 1100 Coal Ave. SE. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to either The New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, POB 25464, Alb. NM, 87125 or the Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice, 202 Harvard, SE 87106.
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