USA Fencing

Just nine months after being diagnosed with esophageal cancer, Alan Kuver died at age 47 on Tuesday in his hometown of Huntington, N.Y.

The chair of USA Fencing’s Long Island Division for more than a decade, Kuver made an impact on fencing at all levels throughout the United States.

Kuver taught technology classes at J. Taylor Finley Middle School and Huntington High School where he also served as the head coach of the boys’ and girls’ fencing teams.

Kuver enjoyed working not only with his own fencing students at Huntington and his own Empire Fencing Club, but he spent his summers working as a director of camps throughout the Northeast, including the Manhattan Fencing Club Camp as well as camps at UPenn and Brandeis.

A national level referee, Kuver could be found working tournaments around the country either as a referee or as a bout committee member. Most recently, Kuver worked as a member of the directoire technique at the Absolute Fencing Gear® Korfanty World Cup in Chicago in May and worked at the Mr. Ma Cup in New Jersey less than a month before his passing.

The former USA Fencing board member also worked with junior national teams over the years and served as a team manager at the 2008 and 2009 Junior and Cadet World Championships.

“Though his life was cut short, Alan Kuver had an impact on a remarkable number of people. He touched people’s lives as a teacher, coach, club owner, tournament organizer, camp director, team leader, board member and friend,” said USA Fencing Board Member David Blake (North Billerica, Mass.) “His dedication to the sport of fencing will be remembered by people across the country. His memory will live on in all of us who had the pleasure to meet him and work with him. I, for one, will never forget him.”

Visitation is at M.A. Connell Funeral Home in Huntington Station from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. on Friday. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. July 12 at the Congregational Church of Huntington.