Mr. James Arthur Kurtz, 78, of Whitehall, passed away Saturday, October 22, 2022. He was born April 27, 1944, in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, the son of Paul and Lula 
(Screeton) Kurtz.

Jim lived near Fort Wayne, Indiana all of his life until he retired. Jim graduated from North Side High School (Fort Wayne) in 1962 and entered the Air Force immediately afterward.  He served at Kincheloe in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and then at Goose Bay, Labrador, Canada.  He was a jet mechanic and crew chief.  After his discharge in 1966, he went to work at Dana Corporation in Auburn, Indiana, where he worked until his retirement in 2004, even after Eaton Corporation bought Dana. Jim enjoyed traveling internationally on his job and was proud to bring new technology to his workplace.  He designed tools and streamlined the work flow to be more efficient. He bought new machines and taught the workers how to run them.. When the company bought a new plant, Jim was sent to oversee the transition and setup.

He attended Purdue University and continued his education through classes at Dana University, giving him the equivalent to a Master’s degree in engineering. He had a clever mind and loved the challenge of You Can’t Make That Work.

Jim had a real talent for and love of the industrial arts. He was an excellent draftsman. He did woodworking and welding in his shop and added a 2-story addition to his house, doing the plans and work himself. 

Jim was involved in two hurricane relief efforts, one to Florida and one to New Orleans.  He had a generous spirit and willingness to work. In his spare time, he enjoyed fishing, boating, golf, hunting and cooking.  In his retirement, he had hot supper ready for Judy every night until she retired in 2010.  Then they bought a 5th wheel and spent a summer on an RV tour of Alaska.  Jim and Judy became Winter Texans with their rig, visiting family and friends and enjoying all Texas has to offer.

James is survived by his: loving wife, Judy (Braby) Kurtz; children Wendy (Steve) Levine, Susan (Ryan) Harmeyer, and Jennifer (Jason) Mears; stepchildren Stephanie (Andrew) 
Douglas, Melanie Scott, and Kelly Ivy; 8 grandchildren, 10 step grandchildren, and 3 step great grandchildren. 

James was preceded in death by: his parents; brother Bobby; granddaughter, Reagan Harmeyer; and stepson, Kevin Scott.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11 am, Friday, October 28, 2022, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 5631 W. Stony Lake Road, New Era, Michigan 49446, with Pastor Sarah Samuelson 
officiating. Visitation will be held from 10 am until 11 am, Friday, October 28, 2022, at Trinity Lutheran Church. Interment will follow in Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, right next to the church.

The funeral service will be live streamed on Trinity Lutheran Church's Facebook page.

In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial donations to; Trinity Lutheran Church, 5631 W. Stony Lake Road, New Era, Michigan 49446, or The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, ppmi@michaeljfox.org.

Harris Funeral Home, in Shelby, is in charge of arrangements.

www.harrisfhome.com