He was born in Billings on March 27, 1944, as the second child to Allen Kuhl and Kathryn Denton Kuhl. He had golden hair, piercing blue eyes and a friendly disposition. As a child growing up in Montana, he played sports with friends, proudly achieved an amateur radio license, learned ranching on cousin Zook's ranch in Red Lodge, but most enjoyed fishing and hunting with his Dad in the Beartooth mountains and on the Bill Dallas ranch near Nye. 

Jim graduated from Billings Senior High School in 1962 and went on to study electrical engineering at Montana State College in Bozeman.

In 1966, he found his career calling in the form of the United States Marine Corps. He enlisted and after various training schools was assigned to 3rd Force Recon, Republic of South Vietnam. His service in combat was one of distinction, earning him numerous citations including the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm & Frame. Despite his meritorious combat achievements, he rarely spoke of his experiences in Vietnam. 

Jim went on to lead and train young Marines in a variety of assignments all over the globe, including several stays in the recruit command where he brought many young Americans into the family of the USMC that he so dearly loved. His final assignment was as area coordinator for the (MARS) Military Affiliated Radio Service and (MCERN) Marine Corps Emergency Radio Network in Okinawa, Japan, where he designed and implemented a complete upgrade to the entire network. After 24 years of faithful service to his country, Master Gunnery Sergeant (E-9) James A. Kuhl, carrying stacks of commendations and awards, decided it time to return to his home in Montana and retire from his beloved Corps. 

In 1990, he returned to the family home and to his mother Kathryn. In retirement, his favorite pastime was to be with his buddies from the old Mile Away. With them, he would fish, hunt and golf the grass off the local courses. Jim's loves in life were firstly, the Marine Corps, music, the poetry of Robert Service, the Beartooth Mountains and giving that proverbial shirt off his back to a young Marine, a friend or even a stranger and ask not even respect in return. 

Jim was preceded in death by his father Allen in 1975 and his mother Kathryn only nine months previous in May of 2000. 

His survivors include his sister Karen Durfey (Curt) of Billings; his nephew Denny FitzGerald of Acton, Calif.; his niece Kathy Terry (Rob) of Billings; grandnieces Katrina and Julianne Terry; and a host of Denton and Kuhl family aunts, uncles and cousins. 

Services will be held at Michelotti, Sawyers & Nordquist Mortuary at 1001 Alderson, in Billings, at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 3, followed by Marine Corps burial at Sunset Memorial Gardens. The casket is closed. Any memorial considerations to the Diabetes Association, 3203 3rd Avenue North, in Billings. God speed and Semper Fi.