James Robert Kurtz, 94, died on May 8, 2016 after a two-month battle with brain cancer.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 71 years, Regina, by his daughter, Jeanne Connelly (Marty Scherr), his son, James A. Kurtz (Louise), his granddaughter, Lisa Gillin (Matt), his step-grandson, Peter Scherr (Meme), four great-grandchildren, Nate and Ben Gillin and Hannah and James Scherr, his sister, Helen Miesowitz, his brother-in-law, John Gilbert, and over 20 nieces and nephews, all of whom adored Jim.

A Bucks County resident since 1951, Jim was born in Hillside, NJ and was raised on a farm outside of Princeton. He served in the US Marine Corps in the South Pacific in WWII and, after the war, obtained a degree in Accounting from Temple University, going at night on the GI Bill while working. He then built his first home in Bucks County, also at night and weekends, in just 7 months!

He was employed at the Franklin Institute, Penn-Walt Chemicals, and then France Compressor Products as CFO. Garlock Inc. acquired France Compressor Products in 1964 and promoted Jim Kurtz to President. Jim took that small company and grew it into a truly global business, developing and acquiring facilities throughout the Americas, Europe and other parts of the world. After retiring from Colt Industries (which had acquired Garlock), he worked as a Consultant to Tetratec in Warminster, PA, helping to grow that company as well.

Jim had an incredible sense of adventure and continued his world travels with his wife after retirement. He also had a love of nature that took him on a regular basis to the back roads and walking trails throughout the Northeast, with a particular love of the paths along the Delaware Canal. Jim was a volunteer for Meals on Wheels up until 2013, delivering meals to disabled and elderly shut-ins throughout Bucks County. He also regularly visited the Waldorf School of Princeton, located on the site of the farm where he grew up, to teach the students about farm life and they built a log cabin called “Kurtz Cottage” in his honor.

Jim brightened and enriched the life of every person he touched – he will be sorely missed and forever remembered by his family and friends.

All who knew Jim are invited to the viewing in the Joseph A. Fluehr III Funeral Home, 800 Newtown-Richboro Road,(at Holland Rd.) Richboro, PA 18954 on Thursday, May 12th, from 6:00-8:00 pm and on Friday, May 13th in the the Olde Church of St. Andrew, 135 S. Sycamore Street, Newtown, PA 18940 from 10:00am until his Funeral Mass at 11:00am. Jim’s interment will follow in adjoining parish cemetery.

Jim’s luncheon will follow immediately after the interment at the Brick Hotel, 1 E. Washington Ave., Newtown.

For those who wish to remember Jim, donations in lieu of flowers can be made to the Alzheimer's Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090-6011, to the Waldorf School of Princeton, 1062 Cherry Hill Road, Princeton, NJ 08540, or to the Friends of the Delaware Canal, at 145 S. Main St., New Hope, PA 18938.