WUERTZ, Wilbur Hansen

The White Mountain Independent, Show Low, Arizona ~ 06/10/2016 Wilbur Hansen Wuertz, 93, died June 7, 2016, at the age of 93 with his family by his side. He was born April 10, 1923, in Revillo, S.D., to Fred and Eunice Wuertz, the second of five children. He was preceded in death by his brother, Wayne Wuertz, and his sister, Helen Anderson. He is survived by brothers, Verne and Howard Wuertz. His parents moved to Coolidge in 1929 to farm. He graduated from high school in Coolidge and attended the University of Arizona prior to enlisting during World War II. He served as an Army Air Force instructor pilot on B17 and B29 bombers. He graduated from the University of Arizona College of Agriculture in Animal Husbandry in 1948. He worked for the University of Arizona Extension Service and the Seed Distributors prior to farming independently in Pinal County. He actively participated in Arizona Cotton Growers, Arizona Grain Board, Su Pima Board, Electrical District No. 2 (50 years), River Gin and Calcot Inc. He served on the Land Grant Board for the University of Arizona and was mayor of Coolidge for eight years. He is survived by his wife, Joan, and her children from a previous marriage, Gil, Chris and Kim, and nine grandchildren. He is survived by his previous wife, Violette, and their three daughters, Karen, Barbara and Laura, five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. He was greatly loved and will be sorely missed. In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to: Central Arizona College Foundation, Promise of the Future, Fred and Eunice Wuertz Endowment, 8470 N. Overfield Road, Coolidge, AZ 85128. Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 11, at the First Presbyterian Church, 702 E. Cottonwood Lane, in Casa Grande. Silver Creek Mortuary of Taylor handled arrangements.