Teresa Kurfess

1951 - 2023

Teresa Kurfess
October 31, 1951 - April 7, 2023
On Good Friday, April 7th, 2023, Teresa Waltz Kurfess passed away peacefully at home holding the hands of loved ones after a courageous and inspirational battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 71 years old. When she was diagnosed in December of 2019, Terry pledged to not be defined by this fierce illness. She kept her promise.
Terry was born in Wheatland, CA in 1951 to Doug and Lucille Waltz. A 5th generation Californian, Terry was born into a farming family that has been farming the same land since 1906. She graduated Wheatland Unified High School, then Stanford University, earning bachelor's degrees in English and Italian ('73), and a master's degree in Education ('74). She met her husband Bill Kurfess (Stanford '72) and they married in 1973. They settled in Menlo Park and raised their two children Doug and Elizabeth.
Terry was committed to finding joy and wonder in every day. She was a principled leader driven by strong core values and an undying belief in the good of others. She maintained many meaningful friendships with lifelong friends of all ages. She was a gracious host, known for making everyone feel warm and welcome. She was a voracious reader and especially LOVED playing bridge. Every summer Terry looked forward to "feeding her soul" at the family cottage on the shores of Lake Michigan near Saugatuck; she endeavored never to miss a sunset. She was a mentor and trusted confidant to many. She had a marvelous sense of humor and was thoughtful, supportive, and fiercely loyal. She was an incredible wife, mom, daughter, aunt, sister, and her favorite role: "Grandma."
Terry spent time early in her career in the for-profit world with World Publications, Xerox Learning Systems and Crane/Auvil Advertising Agency, but her life's work was in non-profit community development. She excelled in leading from the front and energizing others in fundraising, grant writing, operations, goal setting, or old fashioned hard work; in short she inspired those around her with an always positive attitude, compelling visions for the future, and execution to get there. Terry supported the Children's Health Council and Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired in volunteer and professional capacities as Board President/Chair and Director of Development, respectively. She was a member of the steering committee for the grand opening of the Lucille Salter Packard Children's Hospital, member of the Board of Directors for the Stanford Health Services Hospital Board, member of the Executive Membership Counsel for the Cantor Arts Museum, and a member of the Fundraising Committee for the Palo Alto Community Fund Advisory Board. Her affiliation with the Junior League of Palo Alto spanned 46 years and included a stint as President, and spawned dozens of close friendships that remain to this day.
Terry is preceded in death by her father Doug Waltz. She is survived by her husband, Bill, their two children Doug (Iliana) and Elizabeth, granddaughters Kelsey, Sadie, and Madison, mother, Lucille Waltz, brothers Stephen (Janet) and Clyde (Raegean) Waltz.
A celebration of life is scheduled for May 11th, 2023 at 4:30PM in the afternoon at Stanford Memorial Church followed by a reception. In lieu of flowers, gifts in memory of Teresa Kurfess can be made to one of the following organizations:
The Children's Health Council: https://give.chconline.org/give/427504/#!/donation/checkout
Junior League of Palo Alto-Mid Peninsula (Endowment Fund): https://www.thejuniorleague.org/support/
Stanford Pancreas Cancer Research Group: https://give.stanford.edu/
In the "Direct your gift" menu, please choose "Other Stanford Designation", and in the following field enter "Pancreatic Cancer Research at the Stanford Cancer Institute in memory of Teresa Kurfess".