Special Olympics coach Kuemmerlein dies
Steny’s favorite recalled as genuine, caring friend
Ken Kuemmerlein had a special “zest” for life, his friends said, which led to be a memorable part of many lives.
He was a marketing consultant turned Steny’s Tavern shuttle driver and trivia host. He was also a Special Olympics coach.
Kuemmerlein died Sunday at age 50 of the novel coronavirus.
“He had that zest that said, ‘We can do anything. We can try this, we can do that,’ “said longtime friend Jenne Hohn. “He was just game for anything, and he was always positive about it.”
Hohn met Kuemmerlein more than 40 years ago when they were children in Cedarburg.
“He always could give me a perspective on something I thought was challenging, and he just had a way of cutting right through it,” Hohn said. “He was just really smart and insightful and kind and always funny. And he was just full of love.”
Kuemmerlein was a passionate volunteer with the Special Olympics. He coached the West Allis Special Olympics basketball team, and was the golfing and coaching partner of Ryon Knodl, who has an intellectual and developmental disability.
The duo won the bronze medal at the Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi last year.
“Having Ken in Ryon’s life really pushed him outside of his comfort zone, and I think Ken did that for a lot of people in his life,” said Ryon’s mother, Laurie Knodl. “Ken earned a level of trust that Ryon does not give freely.”
She said Kuemmerlein would take the time to coach the special-needs athletes, while also having the patience to help the athletes grow as adults.
Laurie said for Ryon, who is nonverbal, that meant Ken took the time to help him verbalize what he needed.
“I think Ken gave Ryon a lot of confidence and helped him tell people ‘no, thank you’ and ask for what he really wanted, which is huge for him,” Laurie said. “Learning to have that self-confidence is one of the hardest things for someone with a disability.”
“Ken’s the best thing that happened to my son’s life, and ours, too,” Laurie said.
‘Heart of the group’
Laurie said Kuemmerlein used to be a marketing professional at Procter & Gamble but gave that up to do more things he loved.
“He would say he made bank, but he didn’t like his life,” Laurie said.
Kuemmerlein quit and cold-called the Special Olympics to see if he could volunteer. He also began to work at Steny’s, at 800 S. 2nd St., eight years ago.
“He was the heart of the group,” said Ashley Shultz-Lenz, who used to serve at Steny’s. “I can’t imagine anyone that ever met him could have a single bad thing to say about him.”
Ryan Steny, who works at Steny’s and whose father owns the bar, said Kuemmerlein was a regular at the bar and started working there when they needed a shuttle driver.
“He got his CDL (commercial driver’s license) and made it happen. Then we needed someone to run the Steny’s Shuttle Bus Company and he took it and ran with it,” Steny said. “I needed a trivia guy with a personality who would attract people and keep them coming back, so Big K Trivia started.”
‘Kindness just poured out’
Kuemmerlein became not only an important employee, but also a good friend of the Steny family.
“Ken was an incredible friend. He genuinely cared about you,” Steny said. “He was my work brother.”
Abby Apfel, a Steny’s regular, agreed Ken was an incredible person.
“He touched so many hearts with real depth,” she said. “He always had a smile on his face and kindness just poured out.”
Kuemmerlein took Apfel and her fiancé to a Tom Petty concert the day after they got engaged. He also emceed their wedding and introduced them as
Mr. and Mrs. for the first time.
“He always chose to make everyone around him feel happy and important,” she said. “There’s nothing but incredible memories to continue his legend.”
Kuemmerlein hosted trivia at Steny’s after it reopened on June 5, after the shutdown in March during the beginnings of the coronavirus pandemic, according to Facebook posts.
Hohn, Kuemmerlein’s childhood friend, said she received a call in early July that he was in the hospital with COVID-19 and pneumonia. She said she was able to Zoom-call him, but he was unable to respond during the last weeks before he died.
She was not sure how long Kuemmerlein had been dealing with the virus before he was hospitalized.
Steny’s Tavern temporarily closed on July 1 after it reported a person with COVID-19 was inside the bar. Steny said the coronavirus case was linked to the kitchen and Kuemmerlein was not sick at the time they shut down.
But people should take the virus seriously, Steny said.
“It is so important that everyone wears masks and practices social distancing around others,” Steny said. “You never know what special person can be taken away because of coronavirus. It affects everyone so differently.”
Remembering ‘the gentle giant’
Service industry workers around Walker’s Point were saddened to hear of Kuemmerlein’s death.
“He was the kindest of souls, thus why many people call him the gentle giant,” said Walker’s Pint owner Elizabeth “Bet-z” Boenning. “He looked at everyone and every situation in a positive light. Ken was funny and loved having fun. He had a unique and wise take on how to approach each day’s events and situation.”
Kuemmerlein was known for being a huge Wisconsin sports fan and would share his Packers season tickets with anyone, especially those who hadn’t been to a game before. He also would make gourmet meals while tailgating, like he did for Paul Zerkel, co-chef and co-owner of Goodkind restaurant in Bay View.
“We ended up doing veal osso bucco in the parking lot, and that sealed the deal with Ken,” Zerkel recalled from his trip to Lambeau Field with Kuemmerlein.
Zerkel would go to Steny’s to catch a shuttle to a Brewers or other games just to see Kuemmerlein. “Eighty percent of the time, he would be driving the bus,” Zerkel said.
In more recent years, Zerkel would see Kuemmerlein once or twice a year.
“Even if you don’t see him that often, you still consider him a dear friend. He had that kind of energy,” Zerkel said.
In addition to Kuemmerlein’s immense kindness, Steny said he would be remembered for his karaoke jams, his sports trivia knowledge and love for Milwaukee eateries.
“Ken touched the lives of everyone he ever met,” Steny said. “His heart was larger than life. When he engaged you in conversation he listened to every word you said and would truly make you think. I don’t think there is a single person on earth that has anything negative to say about Ken. Everyone should be like Ken.”
Steny encouraged people to share tributes of Kuemmerlein with the hashtag #BeLikeKen. He said there will be a socially distanced celebration of Kuemmerlein’s life in the Steny’s parking lot from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, where they will be accepting donations for the Special Olympics.