Saturday, September 4, 2021
Memories of John Kauza From Art Dunn
I have many memories of John, most associated with Scouting and his love of teaching young Scouts how to shoot safely and have fun. I also remember him as someone who truly cared for his fellow man and did what he could to help those in need. He did not seek recognition or acknowledgement for any of his actions that helped others.
We had many hours together on the rifle range at Yards Creek Scout Camp and at a small private range near his home. He had the patience of a saint with the Scouts, in particular one Scout who was confined to a wheel chair by multiple sclerosis and was having a hard time qualifying for the Rifle Shooting Merit Badge. John spent many hours working with this young man and kept encouraging him to keep trying, when many others would have given up. The smile on that young Scouts face when he earned that merit badge was incredible. What John had done was also incredible, he did not loosen the rules for him, but he did what nobody else could have. He was super proud of what that young man accomplished.
John ran shooting sports programs for more years than I can remember; he provided the rifles, shotguns, ammunition and targets. His records show that he had 6,500 youth participate in his program over the years. I think the number was larger than that, but I didn’t keep records, John did. He actively sought and obtained donations of supplies to run the program but also prizes to award the shooters from multiple sources in the firearms industry.
I also remember John conducting the class and teaching the safety rules as part of the merit badges. He was an excellent instructor who kept the Scouts involved and participating in the class.
John also made it fun for the youth; he held contest for the high scores and awarded significant prizes for the winners. My youngest son was the recipient of a Mossberg 22 caliber target rifle as the winner of one of his contests.
He was always doing something to improve the program, he decided that having a steady seat and bench to shoot from would help many of the younger Scouts, so he bought the material and built them. He was right, the scores and initial qualification rate went up dramatically.
He also led the drive to improve the rifle range at Yards Creek. He expanded the rifle firing range, and built a shotgun range so both rifle and shotgun programs could be run safely at the same time. He also led the effort to construct a bigger and better cover for both the shooters and those waiting to shoot. That too helped the program grow.
John also purchased two gun safes to ensure that the rifles and shotguns were safely secured when not in use.
I want to add that John was a meticulous planner; any problems were few and far between, and no one was ever injured. He had earned the respect of not only the Scouts involved, but the adults as well.
I shared the news of John’s passing with Marcia Karrow a supporter of Scouting; she replied “He was a great guy... I met him when I was a Freeholder... when I was in the assembly, I invited all of the female legislators to a shooting and rifle safety lesson with John and lunch and not one of them was willing to do it -- they were afraid of cameras showing them holding guns... so ridiculous.... John and I were both disappointed...”
I also remember John as a donor to those in need. I ran into him numerous times at ShopRite where he was loading cases of cereal that filled the bed of his truck. I also ran into him at the food pantries when he was delivering the food.
John was also a man with a keen insight into the world around us. His letters to the editor and shared emails were always well thought out and to the point. Whether it was current events, politics or life in general, you always knew where John stood. If you disagreed with him, he respected your view and didn’t think the less of you.
In summary, John Kauza was a special person who will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
Art Dunn
