Eva Clara Kuhn
November 10, 1928 - February 26, 2024

Eva Kuhn was born in Berlin, Germany November 10th, 1928. She passed on Monday, February 26th, 2024. She was the last one of the three co-founders of the Old Heidelberg Castle Restaurant and Rodos Circus Acrobatic troupe, the 5 Kuhn's all female acrobatic troupe, and was a costume designer, ballerina, choreographer, mother, step-mom, foster mom and grandmother. She passed away in her sleep at The Pines of Sarasota.

She survived bombings and the Russian assault into Berlin as a teenager; she danced in Germany's premier theaters and appeared in German ballet films as a teenager; as a young woman she taught and mentored numerous young girls in her ballet and acrobatic school with her husband Karl Kuhn (Heddy Lamar's dance teacher); Ahead of her time she created an all-female acrobatic troupe called the 5 Kuhn's which toured all over Europe and North Africa; she then co-founded the Rodos Acrobatic Troupe which toured all over Europe and in 1960 came to the USA and appeared on Broadway at the Copa Cabana, Ringling Circus, Hamid Morton Circus, Rosaire Circus, Fossett Circus, Polack Circus, Garden Circus, the Shrine circuit, plus many others; and most notably she was a co-founder of the two Old Heidelberg Castle restaurants in Sarasota Florida and Gatlinburg Tennessee; She was the construction crew chief during the renovation of the American Legion hall into the infamous German themed restaurant known as "The Castle"; She gave freely of herself and raised, boarded and mentored many young women and any others who also needed a hand at a time in their lives when they needed a guardian angel; She gave many young local men, women and teens the opportunity to have a full time or part time job and also learn the restaurant trade; and lastly she was a friend to many throughout the greater circus community. She was recently honored by induction into the Circus Ring of Honor at St Armand's Circle along with her partners.

She had two children Juanita Shults and Rainer Kuhn. She is survived by son Rainer, daughter in law Cheryl, grandson Ashley Shults and wife Shari, and great grandson Blake Shults.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Sarasota Ballet.

Tributes