Mildred Ruth Kurtz passed away peacefully April 23, 2020, in her apartment at Frederick Living at the age of 101 during the Covid-19 Pandemic. She was born November 14, 1918, to the late Charles and Carrie Kulp of Pennsburg as World War I had just ended during the influenza pandemic of 1918. Her father was still away in the Army and she told stories of staying with her mother and different grandmothers depending on whose family was not sick. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 62 years, Garwood Michael Kurtz, her sister Frances Derr and son-in-law Ronald Hillegass. She is survived by her children Dennis Kurtz and wife Rosemary of Philadelphia, Lucille Hillegass of East Greenville and Janice Farris and husband John of Green Lane, 10 grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren. Mildred grew up during the Roaring 20’s and the Great Depression and graduated from Pennsburg High School in 1936. She initially worked at the pants factory in Pennsburg until it closed during the depression, and then worked at Rosenau Brothers in Red Hill as a sewing machine operator. She told stories about liking to go to dances and sitting on her porch strumming a guitar watching traffic.
She met the Kurtz brothers at dances at the Geryville Hotel, eventually falling in love with Garwood Kurtz. They were married in a small ceremony May 30, 1943, while he was on leave from the Army before going to Europe to fight in World War II. After the war they lived with her parents until they were able to buy a small farm in Pennsburg where they raised their three children. As the property was being developed into the Pennsburg Shopping Center, they moved to the Perkiomen Heights overlooking the Green Lane Reservoir. They had a large garden raising a variety of crops and flowers at both properties. They enjoyed hosting family dinners, playing cards, picnics, dancing and traveling.
She became known as Millie after moving to Frederick Living in 2006 after Garwood passed away. Millie enjoyed independent living in her cottage raising flowers to exhibit at garden club meetings and volunteering as a greeter for various events. She also enjoying family picnics and dinners as well as trips, playing cards and bingo with friends at Frederick Living. Eventually a fall in her cottage caused her to move to assisted living where she still was able to play cards and enjoy visits with friends and family.
There will be a small, private gravesite service at Trinity Great Swamp United Church of Christ in Spinnerstown with arrangements handled by Falk Funeral Home of Pennsburg. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to either Frederick Living Residents Association (FLRA), 2849 Big RD, Zieglerville, PA 19492 (these donations have been designated by the family to go to the Employee Appreciation Fund) or to the Trinity Great Swamp UCC, 9150 Spinnerstown Road, P.O Box 494, Spinnerstown, PA 18968.