- Date Of Birth: March 15, 1912
- Date Of Death: February 12, 2016
- State: Iowa
Hulda Marie (Fehr) Wirtz, 103, was born March 15, 1912 at West Bend, Iowa, the daughter of Alfred and Mary Gerber Fehr. She passed away on February 12, 2016, at Algona, Iowa. Hulda was raised on the family farm in Kossuth County, along with her brothers, Henry, Paul, Eli and Elmer. A younger brother, Daniel, died in infancy. Hulda attended country school through the Eighth grade. In her youth, she worked at various jobs in the West Bend area, and for a time was a housekeeper in Peoria, Illinois.
As a young woman, she became a member of the Apostolic Christian Church at West Bend. She married Fred Wirtz at West Bend on May 24, 1936, and they farmed near West Bend for 41 years. Their home was blessed with ten children, five boys and five girls. She enjoyed gardening, baking, and family music and appreciated time spent visiting with family and friends. Hulda had a special gift for making each child and grandchild feel loved and valued.
Her surviving children are Mary (Ted Besch) of Storm Lake, Iowa, Esther (Lester Frieden) of rural West Bend, John (Ella) of Fort Dodge, IA, Eli (Marilyn) of Urbandale, IA, Alvin (Wendy) of Wylie, TX, Lori (Frank Jones) of Gold Canyon, AZ, Luanne (Chuck Collins) of Plano, TX, Irene (Alan Blair) of Humboldt, IA, and Fred Wirtz, Jr. (friend Lila Smith) of West Bend. She is also survived by her daughter-in-law, Peggy Perkins Wirtz of Belmond, IA, her sister-in-law, Betty Wirtz of West Bend, IA and a special double-cousin, Madeline Gerber Banwart. At the time of her death, Hulda had 26 living grandchildren, two step-grandchildren, 46 great-grandchildren, six step-great-grandchildren, and seven great-great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her husband, Fred Wirtz; a son, Aaron; a daughter-in-law, Patsy Banwart Wirtz; a grandson, James Wirtz; and her parents and brothers, listed above.
