William L. Kurtz

William L. “Bill” Kurtz, one of the good guys, left this earth on Wednesday, October 10, 2007. A resident of Baytown and a native Houstonian, he was born at St. Joseph’s Hospital on February 23, 1940. Bill spent the majority of his childhood in Pasadena, TX. He was a 1958 graduate of Pasadena High School and a graduate of Lamar Tech University, where he was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon.

Bill, a dedicated family man, loved his wife Ruth, their sons and grandchildren. He attended the sporting events of their children and taught them to share in his love for the great outdoors, including hunting and fishing expeditions, which he learned to orchestrate from two great teachers, his Mom and Dad. To cap it all off, he liked nothing better than to cook up a batch of the catch of the day and also knew where to go for processing the best venison sausage.

Bill never met a stranger. He personified the label “hail fellow well met”. He was a friend to everyone and everyone’s friend. If you were lucky enough to have Bill as your friend, you never need worry if a personal crisis arose or a joyful event needed to be celebrated. He was quick to respond.

Just....."Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there” As a State Farm agent for 35 years Bill Kurtz typified the well-known jingle of his corporate employer. His agency sign on Decker Drive was a staple of the Baytown business community. His personal integrity and friendly manner were a powerful combination in making his agency a successful endeavor from the outset. He’d be the first to tell you none of it would have been possible without the finest, most dedicated staff on the planet. And his staff would be just as quick to tell you he was the best boss in the world.

Philanthropically, Bill supported Baytown Community Church and Baytown Christian Academy for many years. BCA educated his children and grandchildren and received support from him in a variety of ways. These two organizations benefited greatly from Bill’s interest and commitment to traditional values.

Bill was preceded in death by his loving parents, Faye and Frank Kurtz. He is survived by his dear wife, Ruth; their sons and wives, Billy and Alexa Kurtz, Dale and Sonya Cather, and Steve and Sue Cather; grandchildren, Shannon Wilson and Brandon, Chase, Troy, Jessica and Blake Cather; great grandson, Reed Cather; his sister and her husband, Peggy and John Odam; niece, Paige Odam Barnett; nephew Matthew Kurtz Odam; and many other cousins, nieces, nephews and in-laws too numerous to name.

Serving as pallbearers will be Bill's nephews, Matthew Kurtz Odam, Foy Green, David Green, Jeff Green, Howard Hebert, Robert Stewart, Mark Stewart, Sammy Stewart, and Clint Stewart.

The family will receive visitors on Friday, October 12, from 5 P.M. to 8 P.M. at Navarre Funeral Home. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, October 13, 2007 at 10 A.M. at Memorial Baptist Church, 600 W. Sterling, Baytown, TX 77520, 281-427-1725 with Pastor Tim Hill of Baytown Community Church and Pastor Clifton Hebert officiating. Burial will follow at Brookside Cemetery in Houston.

In lieu of usual remembrances, gifts can be made in Bill’s memory to Baytown Christian Academy, 5555 N. Main, Baytown, TX. 77521, 281-421-4150 or Baytown Community Church, 915 E. Cedar Bayou-Lynchburg, Baytown, TX. 77521, 281-421-4869.

Arrangements are under the direction of Navarre Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 2444 Rollingbrook Dr., Baytown, TX, 77521, (281) 422-8111.