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Southgate Army officer interred at Arlington
Go Big Multi-Media • May 2025
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only way is to earn it. And John Kuspa most certainly did.” More than 90 people attended the ceremony. Among them was Donna (Hale) Slankster, a Southgate resident and high school classmate of John. “I’ve known John for over 60 years,” she shared. “He was a man of unwavering faith, integrity, and quiet strength. I watched with pride as he went on to do great things.” Joseph Kuspa, John’s youngest brother, recalled a man who was a mentor, dedicated family man and patriot. “John encouraged us all to challenge ourselves and to be our best,” he said. “When I was around six, he taught me to play chess. His funeral at Arlington was a fitting exclamation point on a life of purpose and honor.” Born in Detroit in 1945, John was the fifth of eight children. In 1958, the
Kuspa family moved to Ecorse Township, in an area that would later become the City of Southgate. John graduated from Schafer High School in 1963. That same year, he earned an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point from Congressman John Lesinski. At West Point, John excelled and graduated 76th out of 584 cadets with a degree in engineering. Just nine days after graduation, John returned home to Southgate to marry his high school sweetheart, Margaret Melinda “Linda” Bahlhorn. That began a 41-year marriage rooted in love, faith, and partnership. Early assignments took John and Linda to Fort Riley, Kansas and Germany. But eventually John was deployed to Vietnam, where he saw firsthand the vital role of Army engineers in combat. That experience and the opportunity to further his education convinced him to SEE LIFE, PAGE 9