HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007 11 14 Hand out given by Mike MingeaNovember 14, 2007
HANDED OUT TO THE
BEAUTIFICATION OF WINTER
SPRINGS BOARD MEMBERS
AT THE NOVEMBER 14, 2007
REGULAR MEETING BY MIKE
MINGEA, CITY ARBORIST.
Akil K~lbes
Mr. Winter Springs
On October 29, 2007, our beloved
former Commissioner and Mayor
Phil Kulbes passed away at age
90. Seldom in our lifetime are we
fortunate enough to cross paths
with a superior individual, one who
goes beyond caring for his fellow
man. Phil and Ruthanne Kulbes
certainly made Winter Springs and
Seminole County a better place in
which to live. The world will be a
lonelier place for us having lost one
half of this wonderful team. But it is
a better place because Phil Kulbes
passed this way. We will miss him
greatly. Tonight there is a new Star in
Heaven and itisnamed Phil Kulbes!
Phil was born in New York and
moved with his family to New
Jersey when he was six months old.
He was a graduate of Georgetown
University. He joined the army in
WWII and traveled all overthe world.
Phil Kulbes was awarded various
citations and medals for contributing
to the freedom of our country during
the Korean Conflict in 1950 and as
"Ambassador For Peace ........ for
generations to come." He served
asthe Captain of Company D, 10th
Engineers Combat Battalion, and
commanded 164 men to support
any Marine and Army unit to the
building of bridges, command posts,
etc. He was ordered to go forward
to the Chosin Reservoir to help es-
tablish the X Corps command post
A PIe~~,r Spar In Tke Heairens
forthe Marines. The command post
never materialized as the Chinese
army entered North Korea and the
engineers became infantrymen
holding onto critical terrain. The
orders were to "hold stall costs," since
troops were surrounded by 200,000
Chinese regulars. American forces
numbered 15,000. Forthe next 15days
they were in a precariously defensive
position, trying to survive in 35 degree
below zero weather." American
forces had been severely decimated,
with only 2,300 troops left. Word
finally came to attack in another
position - army language for
"retreat". Evacuation to South
Korea followed. Phil had a hand
grenade blow up almost in his face.
It bruised his face and shoulders.
"During the Korean conflict,
thousands of our young men never
gotpasttheteenageyears,"said Phil.
He is one of the last few survivors
of what is called "Kulbes' Mongrels"
in a book entitled "To the Last Man!"
He moved to SanAntonioand was
stationed there for 12 years. Phil
remembers the river area as
nothing but a haven for derelicts,
rats and snakes. He wentto the City
Council and proposed cleaning it
up and turning the river area into
something the citizens would be
proud of. The agreed. Phil's firm
was responsible for redesigning
and refurbishing the River Walk
area including the restaurants and
businesses that have become a lure
for San Antonio's tourist industry.
Phil, Ruthanne and daughter Patty
settled in Winter Springs 28 years
ago. Phil was the City Manager
of Lake Mary before becoming
Commissioner in Winter Springs.
Phil and Ruthanne were members
of Winter Springs Civic Association
and the Senior Center during the
founding years. Phil was active
with Missing Children's Center and
served as its Chairman. Phil and
Ruthanne always lent a helping
hand with the various activities all
across the City. They spent whole
days volunteering for a cause.
"I felt that I could represent the
City at the Florida League of
Cities, the Tri-County League of
Cities, and the state legislators
in a very meaningful manner. I
wanted to get certain things done.
I wanted to get a first class park.
I wanted to get the senior citi-
zens organized. I wanted the DOT
to move up the improvement of
SR 434. I wanted a high school
and make sure it was located in
the center of the city. I wanted an
industrial area established in the
city. I wanted to get a lot of things
done, but I didn'tgetthem all done,"
said Phil Kulbes in an interview in
January 1994 asthe outgoing Mayor.
"I guess once you assume the role
of a leader, and I go back to the
days of the military when I led men
into combat and out of combat, it
stays in your system. I plan to be a
leader in my community voicing my
opinion to get it to work better.
I'd like to make our City a
cohesive, solid, one unit City and
develop it as such. Until we get
that, I'm not going to give up!"
Thanks to Phil's visionary thinking,
we have a world class High School, a
nationally recognized Central Winds
Park, our futuristic Town Center.
There has never been a single
official and a married couple in our
city's history who have together
given so much as have Phil and
Ruthanne Kulbes. Look at the
man's leadership record -from the
Chosin Reservoir to the San Anto-
nio RiverWalk, to Lake Mary, andto
the 25 years in the making of Winter
Springs. That's Visionary. That's
Strategic. That's our city's #1
UnifyingGeneral.That'sPhilKulbes!.