Idamary Kurtz

Idamary Kurtz, 87, of Dallas and formerly of La Grande, died Jan. 24.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Friday in the Dallas First Presbyterian Church.

Idamary was born the only child of Lucian Edward and L. Blanche Lunger Prouty on Mary 5, 1920, in La Grande. She married William O. "Bill" Kurtz on May 9, 1945, in Caldwell, Idaho. Mary was a primary grade school teacher in Adrian, Nyssa, The Dalles area and the Klamath County School District. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church in all the places she lived.

She and her husband, Bill, spent three years in the mission field in Kenya, Africa, where Bill was principal and superintendent of a school in Garba Tula in the Northeastern Province. Idamary was the librarian for more than 500 Kenyan students.

Returning to the United States in 1977, the couple moved to Klamath Falls for two years in retirement. They visited with Idamary's aunt at Willamette Manor in Milwaukie area and made the decision to move there for the next few years. When living there got too expensive, the couple moved to Dallas Retirement Village in Dallas. They bought a fifth-wheel travel trailer and began to tour the U.S. and Canada for a number of years, retuning to their base in Dallas.

Traveling became a burden for Idamary, so they sold the pickup and trailer and bought a house in Dallas. She lived there until her death and Bill was her caregiver. They enjoyed contact with their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren the past few years in Dallas.

She is survived by her husband, Bill of Dallas; children, Dale of Riddle, Larry of McMinnville and Janet Davis of Dallas; nine grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Cure PSP, Executive Plaza III, 11350 McCormick Road, Suite 906, Hunt Valley, Md., 21031. To leave an online condolence go to www.dallastribute.com.