Donald Lawrence Wurtzler

Donald Lawrence Wurtzler was born October 17, 1935 in Rochester, MN. He was raised in a small town of Chatfeild, MN with his parents and one older sister, Mary Darlene.  He was a small town rambunctious child, who did well in sports.  He joined the US Army when he was 18 in 1953, he served one tour of 2 years at Fort Lewis in Washington, he was a reservist for 6 after his discharge.  

Donald joined his cousin, Jack Griffith, in California to find work. He took a factory job in San Carlos.  In San Carlos, CA, a friend from the factory, Clarence Black introduced Donald to his niece, Mary Black, in February of 1956. Don and Mary fell in love and married the day after her 16th birthday, July, 30, 1956. This year would have been 64 years together. 

In 1957, Donald took a job in downtown San Jose at Burke Rubber Company, where he worked for 40 years and worked as a consultant for the company for one more year before retiring completely in 1998.  

Donald Wurtlzer is survived by his wife, Mary Wurtzler; his four children, Susan Wurtzler-Grubb, Micheal Wurzler, Jeannie Wurtzler, and Donald E. Wurtzler; ten grandchildren, and fifteen great grandchildren. 

He will be remembered as a man living for Christ. His family and friends will remember the stories he would tell to entertain or to tell a lesson or just to be nostalgic.  His family will remember the silly songs he sang to brighten their mood, or to wake them up in the early morning.