Kathryn Rose (VonHeeder) Kurzenberger
Kathryn
Rose (VonHeeder) Kurzenberger, 90, of Central City, Nebraska, died Friday, July
24, 2009 at Central City Care Center in Central City. Memorial services will be
held at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, July 28, 2009 at the Heartland Evangelical Free
Church in Central City with Pastor Zeke Pipher officiating, followed by a
Community Remembrance Meal from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in the Church Fellowship Hall. If
anyone is unable to attend the Service, you are still invited to join family and
friends for the remembrance meal. A “hometown” memorial service will also be
held at 11 a.m. at New Hope Community Church in Springview, Nebraska on Friday,
July 31, 2009 followed by a noon meal. Pastor Sam Courts will officiate with
inurnment in the Mount Hope Cemetery in Springview, Nebraska.
Wagner Funeral Home in Central City is in charge of arrangements. Condolences
may be sent to the family at www.wagnerfuneral.com.
Memorials are suggested to The New Hope Community Church in Springview, NE, Camp
Witness in Long Pine, NE, and Central City Care Center Hymnal Fund.
Kathryn was born on January 15, 1919, the fourth child and only daughter to
William E. and Gretchen (Eule) VonHeeder near Ainsworth, Nebraska. The family
later moved just over the Nebraska line to Millboro, South Dakota where Kathryn
Rose grew to adulthood. She attended school at the two room Millboro school
through her first 2 years of High School, after which she transferred to Keya
Paha County High School in Springview, Nebraska so she could take Normal
Training to teach school. She graduated in 1937.
On August 25, 1937 she was united in marriage to Grayton Kurzenberger in
Ainsworth, NE. They lived their first year with Kathryn’s parents, then moved to
the John Myers place. In 1945, they bought the George Sprague place west of
Springview where they lived and raised their family. They celebrated 661/2 years
of marriage. When they moved to the Sprague place they started attending Sunday
School at the Cub Creek Union Chuch under the oversight of George Hollingshead
who was with the American Sunday School Union Organization.
Kathryn Rose trusted The Lord Jesus Christ as her personal Saviour in March of
1954 at the Cub Creek Union Church. She taught Vacation Bible School and Sunday
School, often making her own Bible Maps and visual aids. To learn more about the
Bible she took Bible Correspondence Courses from Back to the Bible in Lincoln,
Nebraska and Evening Bible College Courses at Camp Witness at Long Pine,
Nebreaks. Later, in 1958, Grayton trusted Christ as personal Saviour at Camp
Witness.
Kathryn Rose and Grayton became very involved at the New Hope Community Church
in Springview, Nebraska where she was instrumental in getting a Missionary
Circle started. They also saw the need for Sunday School in the adjoining
community and started Lost Creek Sunday School.
Camp Witness Bible Camp at Long Pine became a “family” involvement with Kathryn
Rose cooking, Grayton helping whenever he could, and their children going to
camp. As Kathryn Rose and her friends cooked for their children’s camps, they
decided it would be beneficial and special for the ladies of the area to have a
camp for wives and mothers, so they started The Women’s Retreat which is still
going strong today.
She was a jack-of-all trades being involved in all phases of farm/ranch life.
Kathryn Rose was a dedicated wife, mother, hay field hand, cowboy (drove cattle
and rode horses), milked cows, gardened, and canned (raised vegetables as well
as beautiful flowers), was a 4-H leader, went to Lost Creekettes Extension Club,
and sewed most of her family’s clothes. She was a wonderful seamstress, and
enjoyed cooking and baking.
In 1993, Kathryn Rose and Grayton moved to Ainsworth, NE where they became
involved in the Berean Church and the Evangelical Free Church. They enjoyed the
Senior Center. The couple lived at Merrick Manor in Central City from February
2001 to 2003. On December 19, 2004, the couple moved into the Ainsworth Care
Center where Grayton died on January 25, 2004. Kathryn Rose continued to reside
there until October of 2004, she move the Litzenberg Long Term Care in Central
City.
Kathryn is survived by two daughters- Kathryn Ann Kurzenberger of Springview, NE
and Greta (Ken) Swanson of Central City, NE; one son- William Grayton (Ellen)
Kurzenberger of Bassett, NE; 6 grandchildren – Kim (Paul) Jacoby of Willow
Street, PA; Kami (Gary) Depue of Fremont, NE; Karen (Randy) Lienemann of Omaha,
NE; “B.J” William John (Alicia) Kurzenberger of Omaha, NE; Teresa Marousek of
Marchalltown, IA; and Rodney (Heather) Swanson of Kearney, NE; 19 grandchildren;
sisters-in-law – Margi VonHeeder of Ainsworth, NE; Maxine Jamison of Springview,
NE; Margie Spann of Gregory, SD; Berniece Seberger of Bassett, NE; Mary Alice
Miller of Pine Top, AZ; Brothers-in-law – Clayton Kurzenberger of Gordon, NE;
Rolland Kurzenberger of Springview, NE and many other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband – Grayton; one grandson- Brian Swanson;
three brothers Miles (Ione) VonHeeder, Clinton VonHeeder, Mark (Betty) VonHeeder;
In laws – Kermit Kurzenberger, George Kurzenberger, Norval Kurzenberger, Gerald
Kurzenberger, Ted Seberger, Willis Miller, Tim Jamison, and Otto Spann.
Congregational Hymns: “What A Friend We Have In Jesus”
“How Great Thou Art”
“The Old Rugged Cross”
Vocalist: Susan Ritta
Pianist: Elaine Wischmeier “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You”
“If You Could See Me Now”
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