Clarence R. "Kurt" Kurtenbach

Funeral services for Clarence "Kurt" Kurtenbach, 83, of Norfolk will be 10:30 a.m., Saturday, May 4, 2019, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Norfolk.  Burial will be in Prospect Hill Cemetery, Norfolk. Military Rites will be by the Nebraska National Guard Honor Guard. Visitation will be Friday from 4-7 p.m., with a rosary at 7, all at the church. Home for Funerals, Norfolk, NE, is in charge of arrangements.

            Kurt (C.R.) Kurtenbach passed away April 27, 2019, surrounded by family in Norfolk.  He is survived by his loving wife of 60 years, Deanna Kurtenbach, sons Terry Kurtenbach (Kristie) and Todd Kurtenbach (Beth) and grandchildren, Alex Kurtenbach (Mariah) (Omaha), Hannah (Zach) (Memphis) and Khia (New York) Kurtenbach.

Kurt was born at home in Davison County, SD June 17, 1935.  He graduated from Ethan SD High School and moved to Chicago where he worked for Western Union.  In 1954, he enlisted in the Army where he served in the US and Germany.  He was honorably discharged, returned to South Dakota and completed college at Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, SD.  He married Deanna Jo Lassen in 1958 and his first son, Terry, was born in 1960.  He took a job with the US Treasury and they moved to Norfolk in 1961.  A second son, Todd, was born in 1962.  He retired in 1993 after 32 years of service with the US Government.  He received a distinguished service award and was honored with other Treasury employees by the US Secretary of Treasury in Washington DC for service excellence.

Kurt enjoyed volunteering and it was an important part of his life.  He was a Cubmaster and Scoutmaster of Troop 120 and spent multiple weekends and summer weeks at Camp supervising young scouts.   He was the Development Director of Norfolk Legion baseball teams for several years raising money for the team expenses.   He was a charter member of the Norfolk High Booster Athletic Club and a member of the American Legion and noon Kiwanis.  Kurt was an active participant as a 4th degree member of the Catholic Church Knights of Columbus of the Msgr. Robert P. Burns Assembly 606.   He was a Member of St. Mary’s church and active in many roles from 1961 to the present day.

He was a life-long hunter, conservationist and ardent believer of the outdoors.  He hunted his entire life and his greatest joy was his time spent in the field with friends and family.   He spent 40 years hunting deer and spring/fall turkey with lifelong friends.   South Dakota pheasant hunting was one of his true passions and he was known as a dead shot in the field.

He was an avid square-dancer and spent many years as a member of multiple dance clubs.  Kurt was deeply invested in his children and grandchildren’s academic and athletic activities and attended almost every meaningful event and competition in their lives.   He also enjoyed a number of other activities including golf, camping, skiing and traveling.   He was an amateur genealogist and traced the Kurtenbach family to the village origins of the family culminating in a book he authored and distributed in the 1980’s.

Kurt was preceded in death by his parents, Adolph and Elizabeth Kurtenbach and four of his sisters, Dorothy Otto, of St Paul, MN and Delores Cross, Annabelle Barnes and Isabel Grohmann, all of the Mitchell SD area.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Sacred Heart Parish Endowment or Pheasants Forever at the following addresses: (Please identify the source of the contribution)

Sacred Heart Parish Endowment                          Pheasants Forever – Wessington Springs

204 S. 5th St.                                                         c/o Darwin Weeldreyer

Norfolk Ne, 68701                                                812 N Huron Ave

                                                                               Pierre, SD  57501

Alternatively, memorials can be sent to the family and they will direct the contributions to the above 2 organizations for need.

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