Edith Kurtin

Edith Kurtin, 87, of Granger, passed on to her heavenly father on June 19, 2015 in Bartlett. Edith was born on September 30, 1927 in Granger, Texas. She was one of ten children born to Josef and Agnes (Michalek) Kurtin.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, June 24, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM with a rosary at 7:00 PM at Providence Funeral Home in Taylor. A Celebration of Life Mass will be held on Thursday, June 25, at 10:00 AM at Ss. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church in Granger with the Very Reverend Chris Ferrer officiating. Burial will follow in the Calvary Cemetery in Granger.

Edith grew up on a farm outside of Granger where she, along with her brothers and sisters, chopped and hand picked cotton and corn. Most likely this early work in the cotton and corn fields is what led to her interest in gardening. She was a lifelong resident of Granger and a lifelong member of Ss. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church. She attended Ss. Cyril and Methodius Catholic School and graduated from Granger High School in May 1945. She was also a member of the KJZT, St. Flora Altar Society, and a member of the Czech Choir during the 1960's and early 1970's. After working for more than 40 years at the First Taylor National Bank, she then worked for the Williamson County Bridge and Road Division, and also enjoyed doing volunteer work for the Pre-4 at Ss. Cyril and Methodius Catholic School. She was one of the original members of the Granger Roadrunner Travel Group and had the pleasure of visiting interesting sites in many of the 50 states of the United States as well as Canada, France, Switzerland, Mexico City and Czechoslovakia. Edith's parents and oldest sister, Frances, immigrated to the United States from Senice, Czechoslovakia in March 1911. Traveling to Czechoslovakia enabled Edith to walk on the land and visit the church where her parents worshiped and were married and meet the remaining cousins that still live there. After her retirement, she enjoyed taking bus trips to Louisiana to try her luck on the slots.

Upon the death of Edith's parents and her sister, Frances, Edith and her surviving sister Babs continued the tradition of hosting the "Kurtin Christmas" each year on Christmas Eve. Her pot of Kyselesa Polevka (potato soup) was the first course of a turkey and dressing meal that included many delicious side dishes and desserts that were enjoyed by several generations of the Kurtin family.

Edith had many talents. She was an excellent seamstress and sewed her own clothes and clothes for her sister, Babs, and nieces for many years. She did beautiful needlepoint and crochet work that she shared with her family. She was an excellent cook and enjoyed growing a vegetable garden which led to canning and then sharing the fruits of her labor with family members. She enjoyed working the daily crossword puzzle in the daily newspaper, playing bingo, solitaire, and tarocks until the wee hours of the morning with her two sisters, Margie and Babs, and family friend Jerry for many years. She also enjoyed watching Aggie football, Astro baseball, and Spurs basketball games.

Although Edith did not have children of her own, she loved her many nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews as if they were her own. She offered gentle hugs, words of guidance and encouragement to her brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews when they needed it, words of comfort when they experienced the heart aches of life, and joy in their accomplishments but most of all she lived a life of love and faithfulness to God and her family. Her daily life was an amazing demonstration of her faith and generosity. She made a deep and lasting impression on all members of her family and the friends she made during her life. Her kind blue eyes and loving smile will be deeply missed but the memory of Aunt Edith will be cherished forever.

Edith was preceeded in death by her parents, her brothers, Joe, Frank, Tony, Laddie, and John, her sisters, Frances Kurtin, Mary Walker, and Margie Hajda, nephew, Johnny Walker, and great¬ niece, Deborah Rose Hajda. Survivors include her sister, Agnes (Babs) Kurtin of Granger, brother-in-law, V.J. Hajda, sister-in-law Lydia Kurtin, numerous nephews and nieces, and great¬ nephews and great-nieces.

Edith's family is very grateful for the care, kindness, and love of the staff extended to her during her stay at the Will O Bell Nursing Home, the Eucharistic Ministers that brought her Holy Communion, and Father Chris Ferrer and friends for their visits.

Memorials may be made to the Ss. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church Restoration Project, Mass intentions for Edith or their favorite charity.