Visitation:
4-7:00 p.m. on Tuesday at the funeral home
Service:
10:00 a.m. on Wednesday at St. John United Church of
Christ
Funeral home:
Fricke-Calvert-Schrader, Lincoln
Obituary
Blanche Kurtz, 87, of Lincoln passed away at 3:00
p.m. Friday, May 9, 2014 at her home surrounded by
her loving family.
Blanche was born November 27, 1926 in New Holland,
the daughter of Herman and Mabel Raber Gehrke. She
married Donald Kurtz October 6, 1946 in Lincoln. He
survives in Lincoln.
Blanche is survived also by her children: Dennis
(Brenda) Kurtz; Kevin (Angela) Kurtz; Karen (Ron)
Pecoraro; and Karol Kurtz, all of Lincoln;
grandchildren: Keith, Ashley, Cameron, Meghan, and
Gabrielle; great grandson Kolby; Siblings: Garland
Gehrke of Lincoln; Phyllis Ledoux of Indianapolis,
IN; and Wilma Gehrke of Mazon; and lifetime family
friend, Mary Mitchell. She was preceded in death by
her parents; one son, Larry; and sister, Doris
Miller.
Blanche was a homemaker and active member of St.
John United Church of Christ, Lincoln. She was also
a member of the Charity Guild.
Blanche leaves behind her priceless legacy, many
valuable life lessons. She was everything a mother
should be, and a true lady in every sense of the
word. She was unfailingly polite, and as gracious
and thankful as you would expect her to be. She
instilled in her children the importance of love,
faith and compassion. She taught us how a Christian
loves, lives, and faces death. Her fight for life
took her faith and everyone else around her to a new
level. It took an immense amount of courage, faith
in her God and love for her family to endure the
pain, and suffering of her illness-knowing full well
the obstacles she would face.
"Mom was unparalleled
in her gift for caring for other people. Making all
she met feel both important and loved. She loved
others deeply, fully and unconditionally. Her family
and friends will unanimously attest to this
uniqueness she possessed. Breathe taking beauty
resulting from a combination of both physical and
spiritual.
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"She was our concrete
Angel. The rock we all broke ourselves against, our
constant pillar of strength.
"She lived for her
children and family, and would do anything for them.
She lovingly took care of our brother Larry in our
home for 19 years, after his automobile accidents in
1971. She cared for her son, as only a mother could.
Her great sense of duty was far greater than any
sacrifice- a beautiful human being.
"She is safely home now in heaven. All her pain and
suffering is over. We adored her and it has been our
profound honor to be her children and grandchildren.
Forever in our hearts, we love you."
Services for Blanche will be held at 10:00 a.m. on
Wednesday, May 14, 2014 at St. John United Church of
Christ with Rev. Jan Johnson, Rev. Wally Reifsteck,
and Ryan Edgecombe officiating. A visitation will be
held from 4-7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 13, at
Fricke-Calvert-Schrader Funeral Home in Lincoln.
Burial will be at New Union Cemetery in Lincoln.
Memorials may be given to American Cancer Society,
Alzheimer’s Association, St. John United Church of
Christ, or the American Diabetes Association.
Click here to send a note of condolence to the Kurtz family.
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