Bobbie "Bob" Kurtz, 88, Peculiar, Missouri passed away Monday, March 18, 2019 at Belton Regional Medical Center in Belton, MO. Graveside services  were held Friday, March 22, 2019 at the Fairview Cemetery, Sweet Springs, MO.  Gifts in memory of Bob Kurtz may be made to Alzheimer's Association, or Cass Career Center FFA, Need-Based Scholarship for Agricultural Students, or University of Missouri Promise and Opportunity Scholarship Fund for Agricultural Students.

Bob was born December 27, 1930, at home on a farm near Lamonte, MO, the oldest of two sons of Walter F. and Daisy B. (Watson) Kurtz. His mother intended to name him Bob, not Robert, but the physician attending made out the birth certificate "Bobbie." Bob had red hair, brown eyes and was 6'4" as an adult.  Bob attended a country one-room school and always felt his education was not as good as could be because of that. He graduated from Sweet Springs High School in 1948, where he excelled in basketball his senior year.

After high school, he worked on the family farm in rural Sweet Springs, MO. He was drafted into the army in 1951 and after training was sent to Korea, serving with 7th Div., 31st Reg., Co. H. He returned home in Aug 1953. He was a member of the VFW Post 7348 out of Louisburg, KS.

In 1956, he married Agnes Anne Constance at Warsaw, MO. He started working for Reno Construction as a truck driver. He was laid off for the winter and went to diesel school during the day and worked the night shift at the BOP (Buick Oldsmobile Pontiac) plant. In spring he'd return to work at Reno. They moved a lot in the early days of his Reno job, but settled in Belton, MO, when the oldest daughter started school. Bob was a member of Local 101, Operating Engineers, & operated heavy equipment in Reno's quarry at Stanley, KS, for the rest of his 40 years with the company.

They purchased a farm by his parents' farm near Sweet Springs, Missouri, in 1963 and in 1969 they  moved 7 miles south of Belton onto 100 acres and farming became his hobby. He worked his job full time and came home to take care of cattle and crops. He later added an adjoining 60 acres to the farm and had about half in grazing for cattle and half in corn and soybeans. In 1971, they built their home, doing most of the finish work themselves.

Bob was always designing and making things with iron, especially something he thought was too expensive to buy. He made any number of iron wagons and a cattle trailer, to name a few. He loved working with cattle and kept close records of each cow and the calves. He was contantly reading about farming techniques, and in later years, loved watching the farm channels on TV. For many years, he was an active member of Cattlemens Association.

In 2012 some health problems left him unable to farm. The cattle were sold and the farming was done by a friend. Bob liked to ride around the farm on his Honda atv and plan improvements. Just 4 days before his 60th wedding anniversary, Bob had a light stroke, leaving him weak on the left side, but with intensive therapy and care he gradually recovered back to near normal.

Bob and Agnes spent many enjoyable vacations traveling to Canada, Mexico, Alaska and eventually to all the states except Hawaii. Their first trips were with a tent, then a motorhome, 3 truck campers and 2 Roadtrek RVs. He loved a long road trip.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Billy K. Kurtz. He is survived by his wife Agnes, daughters Lisa Weigel (Paul), Belton, MO; Shelley Wall (Stan), Richmond, TX; Christy Kurtz, Peculiar, MO; grandchildren  Tyler Wall (Christa); Kyle Wall; Grace Wall; and Danielle Speer; and 6 greatgrandchildren.