Herbert W. “Bill” Wurtz
Herbert W. “Bill” Wurtz, 93, of Clarks, died on Friday, February 24, 2023 at Journey House in Lincoln. Memorial services will be held on Thursday, March 2, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at Solt-Wagner Funeral Home in Central City with Pastor Nancy Spearow officiating. Visitation will be on Wednesday, March 1st from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Solt-Wagner Community Room. Burial of ashes will be held at the Clarks Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to the Clarks Methodist Church or VFW 4832. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.soltwagnerfuneral. com.
Bill was born on October 8, 1929 in Polk, NE to H.L. and Josephine (Lindburg) Wurtz. The family moved to Clarks when Bill was 3, where he attended school and graduated from Clarks High School in 1947. Bill then entered the United States Navy on December 19, 1950 and served in the Korean War. He was honorably discharged on October 8, 1954.
He was united in marriage to Patricia L. Morris on November 20, 1955 at Clarks Methodist Church. Bill was engaged in farming, and the couple lived on the Wurtz family farm east of Clarks. Bill retired from farming in the early 1990’s, and then he and Pat moved into Clarks in 2013. Bill also worked at the Fullerton Sale Barn for 45 years. He was a strong advocate for Clarks, and was proud of his town. Bill was known to go around the area collecting aluminum cans. The money he collected was donated to different organizations within the community.
Bill was a member for over 50 years of the Clarks Methodist Church, VFW 4832 of Clarks, the Clarks Lions Club, The legion Club of Silver Creek, and the Masonic Lodge 134. He served twenty years on the Clarks township board and as a county supervisor. He also served one term on the Clarks school board. He was secretary of solar lodge for many years and served as the Chaplin of the VFW for over 40 years.
Survivors include his wife; Patricia Wurtz of Grand Island, son; Jeffrey (Cindy) Wurtz of Clarks, daughters and sons-in-law; Julie (Daryl) Van Pelt of Clarks, Janet (Tim) Beck of Benedict, and Jolene (Robert) Rieken of Osceola, 13 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, and brotherin- law; Gary (Elaine) Morris of Waverly, sisters-in-law; Dale (Jan) Hogan of Lincoln, and Floydene Brown of Hershey, and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters, Barbara (Bill) Kohl, Arlyce (Francis) Smeltzer, and Ruth (Don) Douglas, and sister-in-law; Marlene (Bill) Douglas.