Gayle M. Kurtz (1889-1930)

KURTZ, RICE

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 8/25/2008 at 11:40:11

AMES DAILY TRIBUNE-TIMES, Ames, Story County, Iowa, Tuesday, February 18, 1930.

GAYLE M. KITZ IS DEAD AFTER BRIEF ILLNESS

Succumbs Quickly To An Attack of Pneumonia

Succumbing to a brief illness of pneumonia, Gayle M. Kurtz, 40, prominent Ames business , man, died at 10 p. m. Monday at Mary Greeley hospital. Mr. Kurtz. became ill Saturday and was taken to the hospital Monday morning. Early that afternoon he was reported resting easily but he failed rapidly from then on.

Funeral services will be held at the Adams funeral home at 2:30 p. m. Thursday, with the Rev. L. S. Burroughs in charge. Burial will be with Masonic services at the Ames cemetery.

Mr. Kurtz was born in Des Moines May 28, 1889. His father Schiller Kurtz was a pioneer baker of Des Moines. He came to Ames with Mrs. Kurtz In 1916 to open a cafeteria and died here in 1918. Gayle first entered business at Boone in 1915 but came to Ames in 1917.and after his father's death was associated with his mother in the management of the old Virginia cafeteria here. Later Mrs. Kurtz and her brother, William E. Mason, opened the Kurtz cafeteria in Des Moines and Gayle took over the Ames business, which he recently changed to a modern restaurant.

Prominent in Masonry

Mr. Kurtz was married in Boone to Miss Carrie Rice on September 18, 1918. She and their two children, Mary, 7, and Mason, 5, and his mother, Mrs. Mary Frances Kurtz of Des Moines, survive him. A third child, Schiller, died in infancy. He was a member of all the Ames Masonic bodies, also of the Scottish Rite bodies of Des Mointes and the Za Ga Zig temple of the Mystic Shrine, Des Moines, and the Monoclan fraternity, Ames.

Always popular among his fellow busienss men, the death of Mr. Kurtz was a distinct shock to the entire community. When it became known Monday that he was seriously ill, reports of his condition were eagerly sought by friends thruout the city.

Aside from his business, Gayle Kurtz' principal interest in life was his family. A devoted father, husband and son he never missed an opportunity to make happy the lives of those he loved.

He spent every hour possible with his family and birthdays, anniversaries and special holidays were always occasions for special remembrances. Only recently he purchased and occupied with his family the home at 520 Grand avenue. There brief services for the family will be held Thursday afternoon preceding the public services at the Adams funeral home.