Rosa Lee Kurtz, 85, of Coldwater peacefully passed away to be with the Lord Thursday, November 13, 2025 at Thurston Woods Village in Coldwater.
A service will be held Friday, November 21, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. Dutcher Funeral Home in Coldwater with Pastor Bob Ward officiating.
A visitation will be held Thursday, November 20, 2025 from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at Dutcher Funeral Home in Coldwater. Interment will take place following the service at Oak Grove Cemetery.
She was born in Bremen, IN, February 9, 1940 and was the second daughter of the late Reverend Jesse and Mayme (Wagner) Bellman. She married her husband John W. Kurtz October 24, 1959, while attending Bethel College. Together they raised their only son Rodney Kurtz, while her husband John worked as a dealership mechanic and drag racer for Gates Chevrolet in South Bend, IN.
In 1970 they moved to Coldwater, MI to settle down. By 1971 they moved out to Shawnee Shores at Coldwater Lake while her and her husband both worked at Acorn Doors for a few years. After Acorn she went to work at Spurgeons Department store before finally leaving to help her husband run several businesses he was starting. The first was a clothing store called Chicago Street Warehouse selling jeans, shirts and apparel. He then started other businesses in the area like Kurtz Water Conditioning, Kurtz Contracting, Advanced Auto Sales, Advance Wrecker Service and repair, R&J Truck leasing.
When she wasn’t helping at one of the businesses, she enjoyed her time at their the lake house on Coldwater lake being a mother and housewife, running their son to after school sports, choir concerts or being out on the boat cruising the chain of lakes.
Rosa Lee was a very loving, kind, faithful and gracious woman who leaves behind a life well lived. She was a loving wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt & friend whose heart and home were always open and who loved to cook.
She was passionate about making sure the outside of the house and yard always looked good with colorful flowers and well-trimmed landscaping. Some of Rosa Lees’s most treasured memories were watching the beautiful sunsets on Coldwater Lake along with cruising the chain of lakes in the boat. She also enjoyed taking trips with her husband to the Bahamas, Mexico, Mackinaw Island, Saint Petersburg, Tampa, Sanibel Island & Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
As a woman raised of great faith she spent much time in prayer with her family growing up and with her beloved husband since his father was also a pastor like her father was.
After the passing of her husband John in late 2019 her son looked after her for a few years and later she moved to Thurston Woods – The Meadows in Coldwater and quickly became a staff and resident favorite known as Ms. America because she always dressed up and waved to everyone. She loved meeting old acquaintances as they moved in to share stories. Most of all she loved the staff and feeling loved by all the caregivers over the years that helped her. Rosa Lee’s sense of class, style, fashion, humor, warmth and grace will be missed by all who knew and loved her over the years.
She is survived by her son Rodney Kurtz of Coldwater, her brothers James (Cheri) Bellman, Mark (Janet) Bellman; her sister Joyce Bellman; brother in-laws Harry (Deloris) Kurtz, Ken (Diane) Kurtz; sister in-law Ruth Kurtz, sister in-law Sandy Kurtz and by many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in passing by her husband John Kurtz; her mother Mayme (Wagner) Bellman; her father Jesse Bellman; her stepmother Nettie Bellman; her father in law Richard Kurtz; her brother Joseph Bellman; her brother in law Richard Kurtz Jr, sister in law Charlene (Kurtz) Thomas and sister in law Brenda Bellman.
Her son Rodney would like to also thank all the caregivers (past and present) at the hospital and at Thurston Woods who cared for his mother. The job you do is not easy at times and it takes a caring person to do what you do and continue to do for others. May God continue to bless you and all who read this.
Memorials may be directed to the Alzheimer’s Association.
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