George Juraj Kučmāš

George Juraj Kučmāš, 85, longtime resident of Amherst, NH died at his home peacefully surrounded by his family on June 14, 2021. He was born in Czechoslovakia on June 8, 1936, a son of Ján Kučmāš and Alžbeta Kučmášova. As a young boy George witnessed firsthand the horrors of World War II being fought over his village Choňkovce as the Germans advanced. As the Russians pushed back the Germans for the second time, an exploding grenade would have taken George’s life if was it not for the saving grace of a Russian solder protecting George’s body with his. Later in life as a young officer, George served in the Slovakian Air Force from 1956-1958 as an MIG airframe specialist. George escaped Russian socialist tyranny shortly after the occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1969 by the CCCP (Russia) with his wife Marie Kučmášova for a better life of freedom, liberty and opportunity. Welcomed by Canada under political asylum they begun a new life with their worldly possessions of 2 suitcases, 50 dollars and a new language never spoken. George reestablished himself as a mechanical Engineer at Toronto University over the next decade. In 1975 while in Canada George and Marie were reunited with their children and maternal grandmother after an absence of more than 7 years held as political hostages in Czechoslovakia. George Kučmáš lived in Stouffville Ontario until 1979 when he became the new managing plant engineer in Nashua NH. George Kučmāš and family made their home in Amherst NH for the remainder of his life over 40 years. George’s love of music begun at childhood learning how to play the fiddle with East European Gypsies. The harmonica, accordion, mandolin and jazz trumpet were his other passions and his musical talent passed on to his daughter Edita Kučmášova. The house was never silent of music being played, recorded and produced. George as the consummate hands on Mechanical Engineer from his earliest years always active designing, building, modifying, inventing, improving and tinkering. Working in industry for many years ultimately culminated into an Owner Corporation as a consultant mechanical engineer that brought George and his work around the word. George was a communicant of St. Elizabeth Seton Church, Bedford, NH, adoring Father Quinn for his friendship, words of wisdom and the word of God. He was predeceased by his treasured mother-in-law Karolina (Sofrova) Vondrackova in 2002 and his beloved wife, Marie G. Jirina (Vondrackova) Kučmášova, who died in 2011 and is the true love of his life. Family members include his son, Peter George Kucmas and his wife, Tamara Marie Kucmas of New Boston, NH; his daughter, Edita Marie Kucmas of Amherst, NH; three grandchildren, Brianna Kucmas, Travis Kucmas, and Ryan Kucmas. Services are private. Burial will be in New Boston Cemetery, New Boston, NH.