Louise H. Kurtz, 95, resident of Luther Acres Skilled Nursing, Lititz, died suddenly of COVID-19 on April 29, 2020. She was born and grew up in Altoona, PA, the daughter of the late Harriet and John Hemphill. She was the oldest of "the four girls" as they were known, predeceased by her sisters Helen (Waag), Marjorie(McCowan) and is survived by her sister Dorothy (Dottie Lynch) of Latrobe, PA.

Louise met her husband, Jacob of 69 years as students at Penn State University shortly after which Jake left for World War II. They married immediately after he returned from the war and moved to Jake's hometown of Ephrata, PA into a Mennonite culture. Louise fully embraced this new life with bumps along the way. She and Jake then had four children: Nancy (Boyd), Deborah (Apgar), Thomas Kurtz (Sarah) and Bonnie Kurtz, who died at birth.

Louise had a big personality who didn't blend into the background. She liked to laugh and be engaged with others. She especially loved her grandchildren: Patrick (Boyd), Whitney (Parker), Jason (Apgar), Josh (Apgar), Ben (Apgar), Marshall (Kurtz), Eleanor (Kurtz). Their memories of their spirited grandma include attempting to "make" them bowl with her, Hershey Park, spending time at the shore, cooking with her and being cooked for and much much more. Most of all her spirit lives on in them.

Even though Louise was 95 years old she was still interested and engaged in those around her and wanted to know their "stories". She trusted that Jesus was with her throughout her life and and was at peace at the very end even through the storms of a ravaging disease and a quarantine in which she couldn't see her loved ones.

Our family wants to give special thanks to Mary Schreiber, Therapeutic Recreation Manager at Luther Acres for her loving personal care to our mom and to our family during this difficult time.

And we give our deepest appreciation and love to Bob Heim, RN, Masonic Village Hospice Nurse who formed a relationship with mom off and on over the last several years

If you'd like to do something in Louise's name please donate food or money to a food bank.