Joseph Kuta

Joseph Edward Kuta passed away in American Falls, Idaho at eighty-nine years old. He died on April 27, 2026 after a brief but brutal bout with cancer which he faced with grace and courage. He was a beloved son of God and has gone home to meet his Maker.

Joe was born in Chicago, Illinois on May 31,1936 to Bozena (Betty) Filip and Joseph Kuta. His parents divorced when he was a young boy, and he and his brother John grew up with a single but irrepressible mother until he was almost twelve. They led the typical scrappy lives of Chicago boys, playing street hockey and getting into mischief, but being kept firmly in line by the mothers who lived in the area. When Joe was eleven his mother married James Steele, whom he considered to be his real father. Later his younger brother Jim was born.

Joe joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in 1956 after enlisting in the army in 1954. This decision changed his life in profound ways.

Upon returning to Chicago after his military service, Joe met Mary Ann Freiberg while attending church. They began dating and both enrolled at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, where each graduated with a degree in zoology. They were married in the Mesa, Arizona temple September 6, 1960 and were blessed with six lively children. Joe completed his master’s degree in parasitology at Utah State University. He later worked in research for the University of Idaho, taught high school biology in Blackfoot, Soda Springs, and American Falls, worked as a custodian, owned his own construction company, and in later years worked for the United States Postal Service, which he loved.

Joe inherited the gift of gab from his mother. He never met a stranger. His true calling in life was that of a storyteller: he loved to tell stories to his children, his grandchildren, and anyone lucky enough to know him (or bump into him accidentally). Some of his grandkids’ favorite stories were about how he and his friends hunted rats in a Chicago dump and how his grandpa made turtle soup. Joe always had a fresh joke handy and even created allegories to teach gospel principles.

To Mary Ann, Joe was her other half, the yin to her yang. He made sure the floors were clean; she made sure the counters were clean. He loved classical music; she loved country. Together they made a great team. He and Mary Ann served three full-time missions for the Church: one in New York where they served in a branch in inner-city Rochester and on the Cattaraugas Indian Reservation near Buffalo, one in Oregon where they digitized county records for church archives, and one in Sandy, Utah where they helped facilitate the opening of a family research center.

To Joe’s children he was a faithful provider, a man who didn’t care what others thought about him. He worked hard and saved hard to provide for his large family; his wife and children were his number one priority. His children knew he was a force to be reckoned with. He taught them right from wrong, and they knew they’d have to answer to him if they chose wrong. He taught his children to work hard. Joe physically built the house in American Falls in which the family still lives, and many of his children remember helping to build that home. He also had a love for the outdoors, which many of his children share.

To Joe’s grandchildren he was a grandpa full of encouragement and stories. He tried to find ways to connect to each grandchild, then pursued that connection. For example, one granddaughter loved to bake and decorate cakes, a passion he shared, so he shipped her baking supplies and discussed projects with her. It seemed he always had a book, a golf ball, a toy, or a trinket he had saved for specific grandchildren when they visited him.

Joe would be the first to tell you he was imperfect. Sometimes he had a bit of a temper; sometimes his orneriness got the best of him (and others). Through the grace of Christ, however, he overcame challenges and became the best version of himself. He broke the cycle of physical abuse he experienced from his biological father. He was a pioneer in his faith–the first in his family to join the Church. He shared that faith with people throughout his life, even as he lay in hospice care. He loved a book by Stephen E. Robinson called Believing Christ. He would ask his family, “You believe in Christ, but do you actually believe Him? Do you believe He can do all He says He can?” Joe believed.

We know he is in the arms of our Savior. Joe has left a lasting legacy of faith and family. He is survived by his wife, Mary Ann Freiberg Kuta, and his children Christopher Kuta, Alice (Jim) Wolverton, Rebecca Kuta, Daniel Kuta, Timothy (Kimberly) Kuta, and Jeremy (Stephanie) Kuta. He is also survived by seventeen grandchildren, sixteen great grandchildren, and even one great-great-granddaughter.

Family and friends are invited to visit DavisRoseMortuary.com to order flowers, or to share condolences, memories, and photos