Harold Peter Kurth

Harold "Hub" Peter Kurth, 91, died peacefully in his sleep on Monday, January 12, 2015 at Superior Residences in Lecanto, Florida. Harold was born in Madison on October 28, 1923. His parents, Peter and Cecelia (Kuehn) Kurth, raised Harold and his eight siblings in Madison’s Atwood neighborhood. Harold attended St. Bernard Catholic Church and Grade School and graduated from Madison East High School in 1942. As a “Depression-era kid,” Harold and his older brother Jerry collected scrap metal to earn a few extra dollars for the family. As a teenager, Harold was a part-time apprentice carpenter for his father and uncle Andy, helping them build apartment buildings across Madison’s eastside. Most of them still stand today. In 1943, Harold volunteered for military service. After basic training in Camp Roberts, California, he was sent to the South Pacific where he was assigned to the 37th Division of the Ohio National Guard. He bravely served as the company scout and earned, among other medals and stripes, the Purple Heart and Bronze Star while serving in the Solomon Islands and on the island of Luzon in The Philippines. After 28 months of service, Sergeant Harold Kurth returned home as a war hero on Christmas Eve 1945, along with fellow soldier and best friend since ninth grade, Stan Good. Harold and Stan would call one another every Christmas Eve for the next 70 years to remember their fallen colleagues and share their gratitude for surviving the war. Upon returning home, Harold discovered his East High School chemistry lab partner, Evelyn “Ev” Larvick, and her family were renting one of his parents’ apartments. Harold and Evelyn married on February 21, 1948 and raised four children in Madison and near Pine Bluff. Harold was a Madison police officer for nine years, mostly as a hit-and-run investigator. In 1957 he resigned from the police department to work as an investigator for Rural Mutual Insurance, where he was later promoted to property claims manager. He retired in 1986 after nearly 30 years with the company. Harold was a hobbyist woodworker. He created beautiful furniture and numerous carvings. He also enjoyed “cutting the rug” and spent many weekend nights dancing the Foxtrot and the Jitterbug with Evelyn at Madison dance clubs with members of their close-knit group of friends, The PEP (People Enjoying People) Club. Harold’s other love was storytelling. He had the gift of gab. His family and friends enjoyed – and sometimes lovingly endured -- his many stories about life as a child of the Great Depression, World War II and his police and insurance work. Harold’s life changed dramatically in March 1990 when his beloved Evelyn died of a sudden heart attack. Although Harold’s dance partner of more than 40 years was gone, his love for dance was not. One night in 1991, he met Gretchen Levenick Beckett on the dance floor at The Westside Businessmen’s Club. Harold and Gretchen married in 1994 and moved to Hernando, Florida three years later. They enjoyed life in Florida and took vacations across the US, Canada and Europe. As Harold’s dementia took hold in his final years, Gretchen was his loving, patient and unfaltering caregiver. Harold is survived by Gretchen; his daughter Linda Newton (Tom) of Fox River Grove, IL; his son Terry Kurth (Kathleen) of Cross Plains; his daughter Rhonda Lewis (John) of Appleton and son Brian (Wade Fickler) of Austin, TX; eight grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren, four stepchildren, eleven stepgrandchildren; and three stepgreat-grandchildren. He is also survived by brothers Russell, Ronald and Kenneth; sisters Janet Jewell and Donna Lindauer; brother-in-law Allen Larvick; and many nieces and nephews. In addition to being preceded in death by Evelyn, Harold was also preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Jerry, and his sisters Aline and Vera. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at ST. FRANCIS XAVIER CATHOLIC CHURCH, 2947 Thinnes Street, Cross Plains, at 10:30 AM on Saturday, January 24, 2015 with Father Thomas Kelley presiding. Visitation will be held at the church on Saturday from 9AM until the time of the service. A brief chapel service will follow at Sunset Memory Gardens, 7302 Mineral Point Road, Madison. Friends and family are invited to attend a celebration of Harold’s life at the Hilltop Inn, 4173 County Highway P, Cross Plains, beginning at Noon with lunch being served at 12:30PM. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association South Central Wisconsin Chapter, 7818 Big Sky Drive, Suite 109, Madison, WI 53719; The Ronald McDonald House of Madison, 2716 Marshall Court, Madison, WI 53705; or The Wounded Warriors Project, 10150 Highland Manor Drive #330, Tampa, Florida 33610. Harold always greeted family and friends with, “Glad to see ya!” Although no longer “still around” -- his favorite response to, “How are you, Hub?” -- rest assured, he will be with us all on Saturday and thereafter in spirit and in our memories of his love, warm smile, robust laugh and the ever-present twinkle in his eyes. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com. Gunderson Cross Plains Funeral & Cremation Care 2421 Church Street (608)798-3141