Obituary of George H. Kurz, M.D.
George H. Kurz, M.D., 94, of Newtown, PA, died on December 26, 2023. Born in Philadelphia on May 14, 1929, he was the youngest son of Charles Kurz and Mary Breuninger Kurz. After graduating cum laude from the William Penn Charter School, he attended the University of Pennsylvania, attaining his undergraduate and M.D. degrees. He subsequently completed an ophthalmology residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and further specialized in Ophthalmic Pathology at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Washington, DC.
Dr. Kurz began his practice as Director of Ophthalmology at Hunterdon Medical Center in Flemington, NJ and continued on the staff of that hospital until his retirement in 1994, when he was honored by appointment to the Emeritus Staff. He served as Clinical Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at New York University Medical Center, Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and Consultant in Pathology at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia.
He and his first wife adopted five children. After a divorce, Dr. Kurz married Elisabeth Frederika Ankersmit in 1982.
Dr. Kurz’s travels took him to several parts of Africa, Asia, and South America to assist with eye care and to teach. In a 1986 visit to Tanzania he taught ophthalmologists how to insert an artificial lens into the eye at the time of cataract removal and oversaw the first lens implantation ever in that country.
In 1987 he published a book about his father entitled Through the Port of Philadelphia: Memoirs of Charles Kurz. In 2020 he published Something in Return: Memoirs of a life in Medicine about his own career.
Both George and Elisabeth Kurz were longtime members of the Flemington Presbyterian Church, where she was active primarily in a shelter program for homeless persons and he in a leadership role on the Buildings and Grounds Committee.
In 2006 they moved to Pennswood Village, a Quaker retirement community in Newtown, PA.
Dr. Kurz’s wife Elisabeth predeceased him in 2019 and a son David Kurz predeceased him in 2017. Dr. Kurz is survived by his children, Ruthann Kurz, Carolyn Steely, John (Dorothy) Kurz, and Andrew (Valerie) Kurz, a step-daughter Barbara Henkind and seven grandchildren, Melissa Simmons, Naomi Kurz, James (Jessica) Kurz, Daniel (Preshita) Kurz, Sarah Henkind, Rebecca (Matthew) Mullins, Kaitlyn Peterson, and 5 great grandchildren.
Memorial service will be on Saturday, February 17th, 2024 at 11:00 am, Yardley United Methodist Church, Yardley, PA.
In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested for either:
1. Habitat for Humanity of Collier County, Inc.
11145 Tamiami Trail East
Naples, FL 34113
2. Bikes for the World
11720 Parklawn Drive
Rockville, MD 20852
Arrangements are under the care of the FitzGerald-Sommer Funeral Home 17 S. Delaware Avenue Yardley, PA 19067. Condolences for the family can be left at www.fitzgeraldsommerfuneralhome.com.
