Frances Sinnamon Kurtz, 92, of Urbana, died at 8:15 p.m., Wednesday, January 14, 2009 at Meadowbrook Health Services, Urbana.

Memorial services will be on Monday, January 19 at 10:30 a.m. at Clark-Lindsey Village, Huegy Lounge, 101 W. Windsor Rd., Urbana. The Reverend Karen Bush will officiate. A reception will be after the service at Clark-Lindsey Village. Renner-Wikoff Chapel, 1900 S. Philo Rd., Urbana is handling arrangements.

Mrs. Kurtz was born September 18, 1916, in Havana, North Dakota, daughter of Hurd and Florence Austin Sinnamon. Soon after she and her twin sister, Florence, graduated from the Havana, North Dakota, high school, the family moved to Indiana. She was employed at the Delco Division of General Motors in Kokomo, Indiana. In 1940, she married Lester Touby Kurtz in the Hillsdale Church near Kokomo. They came to Urbana where he was a graduate student. For years Frances was not only an active member of the community but also played hostess to generations of Touby's graduate students from many countries. She was also fortunate enough to be able to travel with Touby on his sabbaticals, living for a time in Australia and Israel, as well as locations within the United States.

Survivors are a daughter, Mrs. Shirley Kurtz Drew, and son-in-law, Stephen Drew, of Summit, New Jersey; a son, Donald Lester Kurtz, and daughter-in-law, Ann Gutierrez of Las Cruces, New Mexico; as well as grandchildren, Jessica Amber Drew of Chicago and Touby Austin Drew and his wife Leigh-Ann Williams Drew of Golden Valley, Minnesota. She is survived by two sisters, Florence A. Surface of Nappanee, Indiana, and Evelyn Neff of Bonita Springs, Florida, and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by two brothers.

Frances was outstanding as a wife, homemaker, mother, grandmother, and Cub Scout den mother. She was a longtime, active member of Community United Church of Champaign, assisting with children's Sunday School for several years and serving as an officer and on many committees in the church. She was a continuous participant in Women's Fellowship.

She worked at University of Illinois Registrations and with Carle Hospital Auxiliary for many years. She was a member of the Meadowbrook Auxiliary and the University of Illinois Women's Club. Mrs. Kurtz enjoyed knitting and was an active member of many clubs. She took great interest in her grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Community United Church; 805 S. Sixth St., Champaign, Illinois, 61820.