Obituary of Elinor Frances Kurtz

Funeral Services for Elinor Frances Kurtz of Elsberry, MO, will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, December 23, 2013 at New Hope Baptist Church near Elsberry. Rev. John Zellmer, church pastor, will officiate with burial in Oak Ridge Cemetery near Elsberry. Serving as pallbearers will be Colton Wilson, Chris Hoffner, Greg Buhr, Nick Daly, Matt Hartley and Paul LaBanca. Mrs. Kurtz, 74, passed away Wednesday night, December 18, 2013 at her home. Born June 26, 1939 in Elsberry, she was the daughter of Benjamin Addison and Mildred Juanita Plummer Harbison. She was a 1957 graduate of Elsberry High School. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Biochemistry from Mizzou in 1961. She was united in marriage on March 23, 1973 in Elsberry to Francis Stephen Kurtz, Jr. Their home was blessed with three children: Fay Ann, Jesse Lee and Quince Dee. Elinor received her nursing degree from St. Mary's Nursing College in 1976. She worked as a registered nurse in the Emergency Room and ICU for Pike County, Lincoln County and Calico Rock, AR hospitals, retiring in 2005. She loved horseback riding and knitting. She was a member of New Hope Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her parents, Benjamin and Mildred Harbison; and her beloved husband of 26 years, Steve Kurtz, who died on July 14, 1999. Survivors include her daughter, Fay Mayes and her husband, David, of Elsberry; two sons: Jesse Wilson and his wife, Debra, of Elsberry and Quince Wilson and his wife, Luz Minerva, of Springfield, IL; ten grandchildren: Wiseyda Indira Derry, Matt Mayes, Samantha Hoffner, Jessica Wilson, Francesca Wilson, Caitlyn Pruitt, Brenna Sherrow, Colton Wilson, Mercedes Sherrow and Addison Mayes; and five great-grandchildren: Tatiana Dawson, Alivia Hoffner, Ella Eaton, Damien Derry and Rylee Jo Hoffner. She also leaves one brother, Glenn David Harbison, and his wife, Judy, of St. Charles, MO; one niece, Julie Ann Clifton of St. Charles; one nephew, David Lynn Harbison of TX; her aunt, Ruth Shisler of Kansas City, KS; other relatives and many, many friends. Visitation will be held from 3:00-8:00 p.m. Sunday, December 22, 2013 at Carter-Ricks Funeral Home in Elsberry. Memorials may be made to Oak Ridge Cemetery in care of Carter-Ricks Funeral Home; 107 S. 5th Street; Elsberry, MO 63343.