Gertrude “Trudy” Sten Kurtz, 87, passed away Saturday, Jan. 17, 2009, at the Northern Montana Care Center after living a long and fruitful life.
Her celebration of life will be Jan. 21, 2009, at 2 p. m. at the Gildford Baptist Church with burial to follow at the Gildford Cemetery. Services and arrangements have been entrusted to Holland and Bonine Funeral Home. Trudy was born Nov. 1, 1921, in Webster, S.D., to Ada Marie and Albert Sten, who resided at a farm near Waubay, S.D. After graduating from college Trudy taught elementary school for a number of years. During World War II she participated in the war effort by wrapping and sealing parts, working nights in Minneapolis. At her little sister’s wedding she met the best man. After a long-distance courtship she married Francis Kurtz, who was a farmer south of Gildford, in June 1950, They raised three children at the family farm. She was an active member of the Gildford Baptist Church, where she was a choir director and Sunday school teacher. She was also a member of the Jolly Janes Homemakers club for about 50 years. One of her greatest loves in life was her music. She played the piano and sang in her high soprano voice at many church functions. She resided on the family farm after Francis passed away until she moved into Havre to the Eagles Manor in 2001. One of Trudy’s most memorable times in life was when she attended the Governor’s Ball with her family in 2005 after Brian Schweitzer appointed Nancy Peterson as director of agriculture. She was preceeded in death by a daughter, Nancy; husband, Francis; infant son Vernon; sister, Shirley; her parents; and brothers-in-law Ed, Dennis, Percy, Lester and Andy. Trudy is survived by sons Lynn and Pam of Frenchtown, and Lee and Karen of Gildford; sisters Margery Melby of Conrad, Alice Thielke of Millbank, S.D., sisters-in-law Marion Fyall of Edmonds, Wash., Grace Nordrum of Havre; grandsons Kody and Gabrielle Peterson of Kremlin, Kyle and Kodi Peterson of Gildford, Rob and Jodi Kurtz of Billings; granddaughters Megan and Niki Kurtz of Gildford. Also surviving are numerous greatgrandchildren, nieces and nephews. Memorials are suggested to the Gildford Senior Center, P.O. Box 121, Gildford, MT 59525; the Hi-Line Sletten Cancer Center, C/O NMHF P.O. Box 1231, Havre, MT 59501 or a memorial of the donor’s choice.
