Edward H. Kuhlmann was born in West Bend, WI and, as a young man, moved to Wausau, where his father served as assistant postmaster. He attended Wausau Business College, started his civic service as a member of the Wausau School Board, was elected to the city council as a supervisor-alderman for several terms, and held the office of Marathon County Clerk for 33 years. In his over 40 years of public service, he never lost an election. As County Clerk, he was involved with the financing of the Marathon County Normal School and became one of its ardent supporters.

Katherine Boss Kuhlmann was born in Germany but moved to Wausau when she was two years old. She graduated from Wausau High School and Marathon County Normal School. She taught school in Athens, WI for several years before her marriage.

The Kuhlmanns were firm believers in higher education. (Estab. 1990)