Wilfrid Laurier University mourns passing of Brantford campus donor and friend Helen Kun

Nov. 11, 2024

Wilfrid Laurier University mourns the passing of Helen Kun (nee Jakubcsik), a dedicated and generous champion of Laurier’s Brantford campus. Helen passed away on Nov. 4 in her 99^th year.

Helen and her husband, Steven (2023), supported the development and success of Laurier’s Brantford campus by working alongside Laurier to renew the city’s downtown core. Their transformational support of the Heritage Campaign for Laurier Brantford was recognized by the naming of the Steven and Helen Kun Performance Theatre in the Research and Academic Centre, and their $2-million donation toward the Laurier Brantford YMCA capital campaign was recognized by the naming of the Kun Family Atrium in the Laurier Brantford YMCA’s main entrance.

In 2017, Laurier recognized the couple’s generosity with the Laurier Philanthropy Award.

“Philanthropy on the scale demonstrated by Helen and Steven Kun has the power to transform an entire community,” said Jason Coolman, Laurier’s vice-president of Advancement and External Relations. “With deep connections to the Brantford area, Helen and her husband positively impacted countless lives – both of Laurier students and local Brantford residents who embraced the university. We at Laurier consider it a great honour to have counted Helen Kun as a friend and supporter, and our entire university community offers its deepest condolences to her family.”

Read Helen Kun’s obituary