Iona Jean Kurth

Iona Jean Kurth was born August 13, 1940 in Broadwater NE to Wavel (Dee) & Vera (Wright) Kepler. She spent most of her youth in Broadwater & Lisco NE helping to care for her younger siblings and keeping the house for her mother while she worked.

She moved to Dalton, NE when she was 14 to become a nanny and this is where she met Arvin D Kurth. They were married on May 2, 1958. Born to this union were 4 children, a daughter Lana and sons Dennis, Allen & Troy.

Iona devoted her life to caring for other people. She often did private nursing sitting & caring for people until their passing. Iona worked at the Dalton Memorial Hospital under Dr. J.B. Pankau as a nurse taking care of patients, helping perform surgeries and caring for the elderly and administering medications for many years.

The family then moved to Imperial in 1970, NE where Iona worked for the Imperial Manor for over 30 years first as a nurse, then as the laundry & housekeeping supervisor and then she studied to become the dietitian manager. It didn't matter which department Iona worked in she always worked right along the people who worked for her. After her retirement she worked as a home health care provider and often traveled several miles to reach her patients. She often times worked 3 jobs while still caring for her family.

She was a long time member & held several offices within the Eagles Club of Imperial. Iona was also the cook for several years at the Eagles Club and people always said she was the best cook they ever had. She earned her GED in 1987 and helped & encouraged others to do the same.

Iona met Neil Montgomery later in life and they enjoyed dancing, traveling and spending time together. She took care of him when his health declined and was with him to the end. If you asked her she'd say that's the man I want to be buried next to and as her children we are honored to grant her wish.

Iona's favorite pastimes were she loved to dance she could do the two step, waltz, line dance, polka, country swing and square dance and her feet were always moving to the music. She loved when her Uncle Eddie would pick her up and take her to the dances when she was young. She always enjoyed the family get together to play cards especially pitch, reading novels, traveling to new places, animals always gravitated to her & she had a special bond with Troy’s dog Smooch and Ralph who she raised from a pup for her grandson Casey and spending time with her family most of all.

She was a member of the Zion Lutheran Church of Imperial after reaffirming her faith in God.

As Iona’s health declined her children had the opportunity to have her live with them over the past few years until moving her to Wauneta Care Home & then recently to Emerald Nursing & Care Center in Cozad, NE.

Iona passed away on Sunday, October 19th at Emerald Nursing & Care Center with family at her side. She was preceded in death by her parents Wavel (Dee) & Vera (Wright) Kepler, sister Grace Bowman, brothers Johnny Kepler, Kenneth Kepler, Daniel Kepler & Dwight Kepler and special friend Neil Montgomery. Iona is survived by her daughter Lana (Craig) Oltmans of Kearney, sons Dennis (Judy) Kurth of Meeker, Co. Allen (Diane) Kurth of Colby, KS. and Troy (Jessica) Kurth of Meeker, Co., 14 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren and 1 great-great grandson, along with sister Eileen Sherman and brothers Gerald Kepler, Robert (Marlene) Kepler, Harold Kepler, Lonnie (Eva) Kepler, Larry (Joanna) Kepler

A memorial service will be held at 10:00 AM (MT)  Wednesday, November 5 at the Zion Lutheran Church 1305 Broadway Street in Imperial, NE followed by inurnment at Lakeview Cemetery, in Champion, NE.  Pastor Scott Adle officiating.  

Memorial contributions will be established later.