Obituary of Suzanne Kurtz

Suzanne Ash Kurtz departed this life on Wednesday, November 12, 2008. Born November 15, 1948 in Oxnard, California as Nora Suzanne Bishop and named after her two grandmothers. The daughter of Pat Bishop and Bert Kaulbach. Married to Edward Kurtz on July 10, 1989, Suzanne became the daughter in law of Thomas and Rebecca Kurtz. Suzanne and Eddie were blessed during their marriage with two sons, Andrew Jacob Kurtz and Samuel Adam Ash Kurtz, both still living at home. The love for her two sons and the desire to continue to be their mom is what kept Suzanne fighting so hard to continue her life as long as possible. Suzanne had an enjoyable and interesting ride during her earthly adventure, including working as a lawyer practicing in both civil and criminal litigation. During that period of her life Suzanne managed to achieve 3 hole-in-ones playing her favorite weekend sport of golfing. Suzanne attended Tulsa, McClain High School. Suzanne then attended the University of Tulsa for both undergrad and law school, and for a small portion of her law schooling, she attended Oxford University in England. Before law school, Suzanne worked as a legal secretary and paralegal for Hall Estill. After law school, Suzanne was a member of Evans, Johnson, & Ash, and then Ash & Wilson. After practicing law for several years, Suzanne realized the joy and benefit she could bring into the world by performing adoptions, and created and operated two adoption agencies, Kalamazoo & Baby Too, and Appletree Adoptions. Many children are in loving homes where they are wanted, loved, and they will grow into productive and happy young men and women because of Suzanne's efforts. Suzanne's most recent years led her to want to spend more time at home with her sons and to help in their schooling, and she took a job as in-house counsel for A G Equipment Company, which gave her more time to work from home and be with the boys. She worked as in-house counsel for A G Equipment Company up until her death. Even then, she had to stay as busy as she was before, teaching a class called Teen Law to teenagers (she often said teaching teens was the profession she probably enjoyed most in life, next to being the mother of Adam and Andrew). After Suzanne was diagnosed with Leiomyosarcoma, she founded the LMSarcoma Direct Research Foundation, which is still successfully operating and is working to help find the cure for this unfortunate disease which took her life and the life of so many other wonderful people. There are still many fighting to survive this disease and you can help by visiting www.lmsdr.org and making a donation to help Research. Please send donations to the foundation in lieu of flowers to: LMSarcoma Direct Research Foundation Post Office Box 52697 Tulsa, Oklahoma 74152 You can also make a donation on the web at: www.lmsdr.org/skurtz.php A celebration of Suzanne's life will be held, and for those who knew and cared for Suzanne, she would be proud to know you attended her celebration. Bring funny stories if you have them... and bring a hug to share with her family and friends. Suzanne knew how blessed she had been in this life. By her marriage to her husband, Ed Kurtz, she became one of the lucky people who received a bonus from the marriage in the form of 4 previously born children of Ed Kurtz, who would now become her children as well. Although Dana, Tommy, Jen and Lisa are all grown and not living in the home, Suzanne often stated what a wonderful gift she received in marrying Eddie and being blessed with these outstanding young men and women as part of her life and could even proudly tell the world she was their mom too. And through her wonderful grown children from this marriage, Suzanne became a grandmother. The last addition to the Kurtz family was Charles, who was adopted by the hearts of all the family members and who Suzanne calls her Marine son. Thank you to Suzanne's friends and family.... Ofira, Janet, Cathey, Grady, Molly and Philip, Joe, and on and on and on... it would take a full newspaper page to try and list all those stellar people in Suzanne's life who were always there for her. She loved you all and often stated that you were the wind beneath her wings. There is no doubt that if love could have saved Suzanne, she would still be here today. Her final request was: Remember me with a smile.... we will Suzanne... we will in loving memory. A celebration of Suzanne's life will be held 11:00 A.M. Tuesday, November 18, 2008 at Christ United Methodist Church, 3515 S. Harvard Ave., Tulsa, OK. Ninde Brookside Chapel 918-742-5556.