William Joseph Wurth

William Joseph Wurth, age 81 of Remsen, Iowa died Tuesday, May 30, 2017 at 4:38 pm surrounded by family and loved ones at home on the farm.

Mass of Christian Burial will be Friday, June 2, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Remsen, IA with Rev. William McCarthy officiating.  Burial will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Remsen, IA. Graveside military honors will be conducted by Iowa National Guard, Post 3328 V.F.W. and Post 220 American Legion. Visitation with family present will be 4-7 p.m. Thursday.  There will be a rosary at 5 p.m. by the Catholic Order of Foresters and a vigil prayer service at 7 p.m. all at Fisch Funeral Home & Monument in Remsen. Services have been entrusted to the Fisch Funeral Home & Monument of Remsen. Condolences may be sent online to www.fischfh.com. 

Bill was born on August 28, 1935 to Paschal (Shorty) and Mathilda (Tillie) Ruden Wurth in McCracken County Paducah, Kentucky. At age 3 months, the family moved to rural Remsen. He received education from St. Mary’s Catholic School and from rural Union Consolidated School. Bill enlisted in the United States Army in 1955 and received an honorable discharge in 1957.

On November 8, 1958, he was united in marriage to Martha L. Felts in Remsen, Iowa. The couple first resided in Remsen where Bill worked at Garvin Oil Company and drove a school bus. In 1962 they moved to the current farm location south of Remsen, where they farmed, raised livestock and milked cows. While farming, he started working at Sand Seed Company in 1975, and the following year he began working at Remsen Co-op, retiring after 27 years. Bill also enjoyed driving a truck for Felts Trucking.

He was a member of St. Joseph, Neptune and later became a member of St. Marys Catholic Church. Bill was also a member of Catholic Order of Foresters. Bill had many hobbies and interests he was known for, such as hunting, fishing, bowling and his love for playing cards. He was a very avid card player, knowing what others had in their hand and counting cards.

William is survived by his wife Martha (Pod) of 58 years and 5 children. Son Robert of Sioux City, Son Michael (Dixie) of LeMars and children Nicholas (special friend Shonden) and Nicole and great granddaughter Claire, Daughter Beverly (Jeff Stoos) of Remsen and children Jason (Missy), Zachary (special friend Becca) and great granddaugther Chesley and Cassandra (Shawn Parks) and great grandson Rhyker, Son Mark (Barbie) of Sioux City and children Anthony and Ashley, and Son Marty of Cedar Falls and foster son Blayke. Brother Eugene (Janet), Sister Betty Niehus, Sister-in-Law Trudy Wurth, Brother Nicholas (Marlene), Brother Steven (Doris), Brother Jerome (Donna), Brother Chester (Mary Alice), Brother Wayne (Mary Joyce), Sister Joyce (Wayne Heidesch), Brother Vernon (Barbara), Sister-in-law Rose Caraway, Brother-in-law Russ Harding, Brother-in-law Pete (Kathy) Felts, and Sister-in-Law Dee Felts and special friend Lee King, and many nieces and nephews.

William was preceded in death by his parents, Sister Shirley (John Felts), Brother Donald, Brother Milo, his in-laws, Herschel & Mary Felts, Sister-in-law Maggie Harding, brother-in-law, Willard Caraway, and Sister-in-law Joanne.

Casket bearers will be his grandchildren

Honorary bearers will be the spouses of his children, his great-grandchildren and the Catholic Order of Foresters.