Judith Lorraine Kurth

Judith Lorraine Kurth, May 11, 1944 - January 25, 2025

It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of Judith Lorraine Kurth, beloved mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, who left us on January 25, 2025, at the age of 80 yrs, 7 months and 15 days.

Born in Milwaukee, WI on May 11, 1944, Judy was the daughter of Grace and Marvin Toennes. She spent her early years in Wisconsin studying piano under Ruth Shekner and organ under James Engel and eventually attended Concordia University in River Forest, Illinois where she once again excelled in her command of the piano, harpsicord and organ, receiving the Ruth Manke Scholarship in 1963. For the Centennial Event of Concordia Teacher’s College, River Forest Judy played for the presentation of The Passion of Our Lord, according to St. Matthew in Orchestra Hall in downtown Chicago. During her Junior year she received the Fred E. Struve Organ Scholarship Award. That same year she also won the American Guild of Organists, Chicago Chapter Organ Playing Competition after competing with six other organists. Upon graduation she was assigned a teaching position at the Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Luke in Chicago. An interesting tid-bit with her assignment was that soon after beginning at St. Luke, the Rev. Dr. A.R. Kretzmann called Judy into his office and handed her a list of all his sermon texts and title for the coming year. A week later, Judy returned with all of her hymn selections, preludes and postludes for the entire year as well. During that year Judy taught a combined classroom of children, played for four worship services on Sunday mornings and directed seven choirs.

After that year at St. Luke, Judy pursued her Master of Music degree from Northwestern University. During that year she also returned to St. Luke to play two of the four Sunday worship services. It was during that year that she met her future husband who was serving as a Pastoral Vicar at St. Luke. Upon graduation from Northwestern, she received the Bertha E. Bauer Award for Excellence in Church Music. After graduating from Northwestern, Judy went back to teaching, this time in the Chicago Public Schools.

Following that year of teaching Judy and Richard were married and she continued to teach in a public school in St. Louis while Richard completed his studies at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Upon his graduation, the couple moved to Guymon, Oklahoma, Judy took up a short career in teaching piano lessons, playing as one of the organists at the church Richard served and also with children’s choir instruction during Mid-Week Bible School. Believing in the value of the Piano Guild, she enrolled all of her students in their programs.

For all the years of her husband’s pastoral career, she followed him round the country, always finding a suitable church music position. Her hands graced the piano and organ for 69 years, holding various music directors’ positions, and teaching young students the piano. She will be remembered for her unwavering love, kindness, and amazing musical talents which touched the hearts of all who knew her.

Judy is survived by her loving husband, Rev. Richard E. Kurth, and children Michael, Aaron, and Kristen Wolf, son-in-law Glenn, grandchildren Isabella Wolf and Emily Kurth. In addition to her children and grandchildren, Judy is survived by her brother James Toennes and Sheryl, sister-in-law Pat Toennes, sister-in-law Sondra and Stan Loftis, many beloved nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her older brother Duane. Her family takes comfort in knowing that her legacy of music, love, and kindness will continue through the many lives she touched.

A celebration of her life will held at 11:00 am on February 14th at Peace Lutheran Church, 941 Bedford Euless Rd, Hurst, TX. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Judy Kurth Music Ministry Fund at Peace Lutheran Church in Hurst.