Peter H. Jungkunst

BARRE – Peter Heinrich Jungkunst, 94, a longtime resident of Gold Spur Lane, passed away peacefully on Thursday, May 16, 2024, at his home.

Born on February 11, 1930, in Basel, Switzerland, he was the son of Heinrich and Elisabeth (Brehm) Jungkunst.  He attended elementary and secondary school in Basel, before earning his degree in business management.

After his initial jobs in Geneva in the confectioners-supplies and gasoline-import businesses, he emigrated to the United States and lived in New York City.  There he married Camille Trentacosti and started his family, as he honed his skills in sales and marketing of high-quality consumer products.  He gradually rose to executive and chief executive officer positions, eventually managing several large import and distribution firms in the fields of porcelain, crystal, giftware, and collectibles.  He traveled extensively all over the world doing this work.  Especially memorable was his time with the Meissen Porcelin Manufactory of hand-painted porcelain founded in 1710 in Meissen, Germany.

In 1982 he married Almuth Palinkas in a ceremony held in Chicago, Illinois.  The two made their home in New York City for many years.

He enjoyed gardening, traveling, skiing in both Europe and the United States, going hiking and just generally spending time outdoors.  He loved to laugh and he fascinated all with stories about his travels and pranks.

Survivors include his wife Almuth Palinkas-Jungkunst, his children Peter Jungkunst and Claudia Jungkunst, and his grandchildren Leila and Lucien as well as two nephews Urspeter and Andreas.  We thank and honor all his extraordinary caregivers, especially the ones who knew him longest, Martha Noyes and Diane Stark.

Besides his parents, he was predeceased by his sister Elisabeth and his first wife Camille.

A graveside service to honor and celebrate Peter’s life will be held at a time to be announced in the future.