Alger “Al” Kuchin

Alger Terrace “Al” Kuchin, of Bainbridge Island, died at home on June 9. He was 93.

He was born Algieras Patras Kucinskas on Dec. 23, 1915 in Chicago, the son of Lithuanian immigrants Peter and Grace Kuchin.

At age five, following his first day of school, he arrived home and announced to his parents that he was no longer going to speak Lithuanian, because he was an American. He loved baseball as a teenager, trying out for one of the Chicago teams as a walk-on. Reportedly, when he came up to bat during the try-outs and was instructed to lay down controlled hits and bunts, he became impatient and, against the coaches’ instructions, swung away on one of the pitches. He was immediately dismissed from the try-outs.

He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, eventually transitioning into the Air Force and retiring from the military in 1975 with 35 years of service.

He met and married Rosetta M. Whipple on Sept. 18, 1948 while stationed at Holloman AFB in Roswell, N.M. Shortly after the birth of their first son in 1949, he left the Air Force for a time, and he and Rosetta relocated to Albuquerque, where he remained for the next 52 years.

He painted houses for a few years after retiring from the service. Fly fishing became a passion mid-life, and he spent hours at Charlie T’s catching, cleaning and giving away the trout and bass that he caught. He had a long-standing love of gambling, including horses and casinos. In later years in New Mexico he was famous for quick trips to Las Vegas and Laughlin, Nev.; during the Bainbridge Island years it was the Suquamish casino where he routinely checked in to play the slots.

He was the ultimate minimalist and felt that anything more than a couple of pairs of pants and a few shirts in the closet was excessive.

He lost Rosetta in 1982 and in 2003 moved to Bainbridge Island to be close to his son Jon and family. Soon after arriving, he took up residence at the Wyatt House Retirement Center, where he made good friends and was well loved.

During his last few days his children and grandchildren were able to visit and bid him farewell.

He is survived by two sons, Joseph (Stacy) Kuchin and children Deborah, Donna, Courtney, Christopher, Adam, Heidi, Gretchen and Nathaniel, and grandchildren Austin, Ashley and Jeffrey; and Jonathan Kuchin and children Matthew and Kathryn. He was preceded in death by his wife, Rosetta, and one grandchild, Courtney.

An online guest book is at www.cookfamilyfuneralhome.com.