My uncle Ken passed away unexpectedly this week. Pretty much the whole extended family is in town for the funeral, which was today. I'm a little wrung out from helping people make travel and hotel arrangements and from picking people up at the airport, not to mention the actual wake and funeral. So, this is all I've got for today.

As I said at the memorial service on Friday night, my uncle Ken was my family in town when I first arrived in Houston in 1988. He was very generous with his time and hospitality to a poor grad student, and he remained kind and generous to me ever since. Every time I met someone in Houston who knew him, they would inevitably say to me "Your uncle's a really great guy, you know that?" Yes, I did know that. We all did. And we'll all miss you, Uncle Ken.

I've reprinted his obituary beneath the fold. See you tomorrow.

KENNETH EDWIN KUFFNER, SR. died Monday, January 23, 2006 in his home in Houston, Texas. Born on April 10th, 1941 in Staten Island, New York, he was one of six children of Charles A. Kuffner, Sr. and Jesse McLaren Kuffner, having four brothers and an older sister. Mr. Kuffner was a practicing Intellectual Property attorney in Houston. He graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York and Georgetown University Law School. He was principal law clerk for a Justice of the Patent court in Washington, DC; on the faculty of Southwestern Texas Law School; a senior partner for Intellectual Property Law firm Arnold, White and Durkee for 15 years, and a member of the American Bar Association, the Texas Bar Association and an active member of the American and the Houston Intellectual Property Law Association. He was most recently working Of Counsel for Osha Liang, Houston, Texas. A devoutly spiritual man, Ken has for years been a strong member of the Catholic community, frequently serving as lector and usher at St. Vincent de Paul. Ken was also an active member and elder leader of the Mankind Project. Through his work he led retreats and meetings, opening hearts and minds with his words of wisdom, love and peace. He touched many lives through both his personal and spiritual endeavors. He is survived by his 4 children, Kate, Kenneth, Mary Kuffner Chelline and Elizabeth Kuffner Nealis; his 5 grandchildren. His extended family and siblings have remained close throughout their adult lives and mourn his loss deeply. The family of Mr. Kuffner will receive visitors from 4:00 p.m. 8:00 p.m. Friday, January 27, 2006 at Earthman Downtown Chapel, 2420 Fannin, Houston, Texas. A Rosary will be recited at 7:00 p.m. A Mass of the Resurrection will be at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, January 28, 2006 at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, 6800 Buffalo Speedway, Houston, Texas. In lieu of flowers, a contribution may be made in his name to the Blessing Bear Foundation, a scholarship program that will be established through the Mankind Project Houston, www.mkphouston.org.