Jack Elmore Kunnecke passed away peacefully in Hopkinsville on March 20, 2026.
He was born September 5, 1938, in his grandmother’s Elizabethtown home, just off the square. Jack was the only child of Lois Shumate and William Richard Kunnecke, Jr. In 1950, his father purchased a one-third share in what would become the Radcliff Plaza Shopping Center, prompting the family to move to Radcliff. This move fostered Jack’s shared passion for automobiles with his father.
As soon as Jack turned 16, his mom happily suggested he needed a car to end her two 26-mile round trips to E-town High School. His first car was a convertible, which fueled his popularity, as friends would overfill it to watch drive-in movies or stop at the Moo Dairy Queen.
Jack graduated from Bowling Green Business University with a degree in accounting. He embarked on a corporate career, working in Nashville, Houston, and Greenville, Mississippi. Later, he transitioned to a favorite role transporting luxury and classic cars across the country. This position allowed him to meet notable people, appreciate unique automobiles, and explore new places.
In 1993, Jack returned to Elizabethtown to enjoy time with his family, renew high school friendships, and manage, and then become the sole owner of, Radcliff Plaza. During this period, he was active in the Radcliff Small Business Alliance, serving on its Board of Directors and receiving a Life-Time Contribution Award. Jack was a member of the Noon Rotary and a recipient of a Paul Harris Fellow, and participated in the Hardin County Historical Society, where he served on the board and portrayed J.R. Neighbors during historical walking tours. He was also a member of the First Families of Kentucky.
He enjoyed participating in a Radcliff area business podcast with friends and writing local newspaper articles on business topics. Most importantly, during this time, a friend introduced Jack to Joyce Hadden from Hopkinsville, and they fell in love and married. Through this commitment, Jack gained children Christy, Sherry, and Kirk. Jack and Joyce enjoyed traveling with community groups and were dedicated and devoted members of the St John Methodist Church of Hopkinsville.
Jack is survived by his wife, Joyce, his daughter Jill, and his granddaughters, Catherine and Caroline, who, along with his bonus family and friends, will miss Jack’s extensive knowledge of college basketball, his positivity, love of fun, and his laugh, which made our day better.
Services will be held on Monday, March 30, 2026, at St. John Methodist Church, 2808 South Virginia Street, Hopkinsville, Kentucky 42240. Visitation begins at 10 a.m., followed by the funeral service at 11 a.m. Burial will be at Pleasant Hill Church Cemetery, KY Highway 178 at Pleasant Hill Church Road, Elkton, at 2:00 p.m. Hughart, Beard & Giles Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, the family invites you to read Jack’s favorite, the 91st Psalm, and to consider memorial gifts to the Girl Scout Camp and Event fund in c/o Saint John Methodist Church, at the above address.
