Karel L. Wurtzbacher

Family-Placed Obituary

WURTZBACHER, Karel L. 51 of Springfield, died at 10:29 p.m. Thursday, November 2, 2006 in her residence following a courageous battle with cancer. She was born February 17, 1955 in Springfield, Ohio the daughter of Kenneth L. and Ann R. (Canavan) Wurtzbacher. She retired from Mental Health Services of Clark County in 2004 following several years of service. Prior to that time she worked at Mercy Medical Center as a floor nurse and taught at the Community Hospital School of Nursing. She was a 1997 graduate of Eastern Kentucky University, where she received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. She received a Masters in Education from The University of Dayton in 1985. Karel was the recipient of the Max Graves Employee of the Year award from Mental Health Services of Clark County in 2002 and was named Miami Valley Alcohol Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board Employee of the Year. She was a selection finalist in the Dayton Big Read Atticus Finch Quiet Hero Award. Survivors include two sisters and a brother- in-law Ann Wurtzbacher of Springfield and Mary Fran and Bob Ransbottom of Centerville, Ohio, one niece and one nephew Sara and Eric Ransbottom and very special friends Mary Ellen Snider and Robert and Kathy Phillips. She was preceded in death by her parents. Family will receive friends from 4:00 to 6:00 pm Monday at Conroy Funeral Home in Springfield. Karel's wishes were that her body be cremated and that funeral services be private and held at a later date in Hilton Head, S.C. Memorial donations may be made to the Humane Society or Community Mercy Hospice.