Gloria Jean Kurz

KURZ (née Wagner), Gloria Jean

June 21, 1943 - February 23, 2021

Gloria Kurz of Airdrie, AB, passed away on Tuesday, February 23, 2021, at the age of 77 years.

Gloria was born in Southey, SK on June 21, 1943. She was the oldest of four children to parents Edith and Edmund Wagner and grew up on a farm in North Southey. She attended school in the one-room school, played baseball, and helped out on the farm.

In 1963, she moved to Regina and took a bookkeeping course. There, Gloria worked at the Medical Arts Building for the next few years. It was also there that she started dating Arnold Kurz, whom she first remembered when he pushed her down a hill on a toboggan at the age of 14 in their hometown. By September of 1966, Gloria and Arnold were married at North Southey Church.

A business opportunity lured Gloria and Arnold to Prince Albert with their two young daughters. Gloria was a meticulous bookkeeper for their business: P.A. Autobody. There, they joined Arnold’s brother, Harold (Dorthy), and close friends, Dennis Huber (Eleanor), and many wonderful memories ensued. All were welcomed and entertained at their home-away-from-home at Emma Lake all year round.

Though Gloria and her husband retired early, in their 40s, they certainly weren’t idle. In 1989, after their youngest daughter graduated, they packed up the motorhome and headed to Arizona. They moved to Kelowna in 1990 and it was their warm-weather home for over 10 years. They continued as snowbirds until 2020, but changed their Canadian home-base, one last time, in 2003, by moving to Airdrie.

Gloria’s expertise was called upon once again as a bookkeeper for her daughter’s businesses, Boca Loca and Salsita, in Calgary. Working many long hours, with her daughter, during her Christmas visits. And, at the same time making pinwheel cookies, setting up the Christmas village, and spoiling her grandkids. Gloria retired young, but she was an incredibly hard worker.

She also played hard, spending her “down” time doing what she loved: travelling to places like Hawaii, Alaska and Mexico; playing games like Pinochle, Mahjong, Bunco, Kaiser, Rook, and Cribbage; making food like cinnamon buns, dill pickles, and plum dumplings; and spending time with friends and family.

Gloria is lovingly remembered by her husband of 54 years, Arnold; daughter, Lana Kurz and her sons, Kyle and Jaxon; daughter, Renette Kurz, and her children Sebastian and Olivia. Gloria was predeceased by her parents, Eddie and Edith; and her brother, Ronnie.

At Gloria’s request, there will be no Funeral Service.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Lutheran Church of the Master in Airdrie, AB https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/47408 or to the Canadian Cancer Society https://www.cancer.ca/en/donate/?region=on.