A story of service, and a home that needed to change
At Joyce, we believe every home and every customer has a story. This Veterans Day, we’re honored to share the story of Jerome Kuehl, a Navy veteran whose service took him across the Mediterranean and the Pacific, and whose bathroom needed to be a safer place to start each day.
In his own words, here is how it all came together.
Answering the call
Jerome enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve in September 1966 and went on active duty in 1967. It was a family tradition with a twist.
“It was a continuation of heritage. My grandfather on my father’s side was in the army. My dad was in the army, and he told me, go into any branch but the army. So I joined the Navy because that’s the only reserve center around here.”
He spent eight months in the Mediterranean aboard a World War II-class destroyer that was decommissioned while he was on board. He was then reassigned to the USS Newport News, a heavy cruiser. His travels took him to Yugoslavia, Malta, Italy and Spain, and later to Guam, Hawaii, Japan, Panama, Hong Kong and the coast of Vietnam.
What he remembers most is the people.
“Just a comradery of the guys on ship. You stuck together as a unit, stuck up for each other, helped each other.”
He returned home on July 3, 1969. Arriving in San Francisco at the height of the antiwar movement, he and his shipmates were refused even a beer at the bars and had to go to a veterans club to be served. Asked what his service means to him, Jerome keeps it simple.
“It means that I love my country, and I served as well as I could.”
And what does he say to the people who thank him today?
“It’s a humbling thing that you’re getting thanked for something you didn’t really have a choice in doing, but you did it anyhow.”
When the tub became a fear issue
The Kuehls’ home was built in 1940, and the bathtub, rust-stained and surrounded by outdated tile, was original to the house. It was not handicap friendly, and getting in and out meant stepping over the side. His wife, Kathryn Kuehl, describes Jerome as “a Vietnam veteran, handicapped with M.S. and Agent Orange.”
“We had an issue with the tub where he fell once, and that was not fun. We had the paramedics here, and he’s a tall guy, so they got him out. But the tub became a fear issue for us.”
For many families, a bathroom is where a small risk becomes a serious one. For the Kuehls, it was the room they worried about most.
Demo to the studs in a day and a half
Joyce stepped in. Our crew converted the tub to a walk-in shower, replacing the rust-stained tub and outdated tile and adding safety bars and a seat.
“Joyce came in and demo the whole thing right down to the studs. And they were so amazingly clean and courteous and kind. And it’s a very small bathroom, so they did an absolutely wonderful job.”
The whole project took about a day and a half, which the Kuehls called remarkable for a space that tight. The care did not stop when the crew packed up.
“The kindness of the company, making sure you’re fine, you’re good with how it was installed, if there was anything they could do better, or if we still need help. They’ve just been beyond amazing.”
Of the finished shower, Kathryn says it plainly: “We had our bathtub replaced by Joyce to a walk-in shower, which is wonderful.”
Thank you, Jerome and Kathryn
Jerome says he didn’t really have a choice in serving, but he did it anyhow, and he served as well as he could. We are grateful for his service, and honored that the Kuehls trusted Joyce with their home.
Kathryn, thank you, too. Behind so many veterans is a family member who worries, helps, and keeps daily life moving, and caring for someone who served is its own kind of service. To every veteran in our community, and to the families beside them: thank you.
Safer baths for the veterans we serve
Jerome’s story is one of many we hear from veteran households. Joyce is proud to help veterans plan safer, more accessible bathrooms. For veterans who may qualify for VA grants, our team can help with the bathroom side of the process, including defining the scope of the project and providing the itemized quote the VA may require. Joyce does not determine VA eligibility or approve funding, so we encourage veterans to confirm requirements with the VA and to wait for written approval before work begins. Our guide to VA grants for bathroom remodeling explains where to start.
The right accessories can change daily life. A walk-in shower removes the step over a tub wall, and grab bars, a handheld shower and a built-in seat add support right where it’s needed. Of the 1,645 Joyce bath projects sold between March 2025 and August 2026, 72.4% included a grab bar, 69.3% a handheld shower and 30.3% a built-in shower seat. In all, 81.6% included at least one safety or accessibility feature, and they are designed to blend in rather than look clinical.
If a bathroom in your home, or in the home of someone you love, has become a worry, Joyce would be glad to help. Schedule your Joyce bath consultation.
