Hildegard Yurk , 96, formerly of Cordova, passed away Dec. 16, 2022, at South Haven Nursing Home in Wahoo. She was born Sept. 13, 1926, in Rummelsburg, Pommerania (now Poland), to Albert and Berta (Gutknecht) Schulz.
As a teenager, Hildegard moved with her family to Germany following World War II. She married Henry Yurk on Jan. 31, 1948, in Kolbermoor, Germany, and started a family. In January 1952, they immigrated to the United States and settled in Hastings. Five years later, after becoming United States citizens, they moved to Fremont, where Henry attended Central Seminary to become a Lutheran pastor. Following ordination, he served parishes at Platte Center, Lewiston, Gurley, Cordova and Wolbach, all in Nebraska.
During this time, Hildegard was a busy homemaker and mother. She loved spending time outdoors, following her passion of flower gardening, providing many beautiful arrangements for the church altar. She also discovered another passion, quilting. Working with the quilting groups at church, she made hundreds of quilts and blankets. Her children and grandchildren were grateful recipients of carefully crafted quilts and blankets. Later, she added crocheting afghans and donated many of these to relief and shelter centers.
After Henry’s death in 1982, she moved back to Cordova, continuing her flower gardening and quilting. She also joined a card club and became an avid pitch player
Hildegard is survived by her sister, Elsbeth Wagner of Denver, Colorado; children, Klaus Yurk of Lincoln, Renate (Dana) Mark of Fremont, Helmut (Jodeen) Yurk of Fremont, Harry Yurk of Lincoln, Linda (Tom) Casey of Lincoln, and Arnold (Patty) Yurk of Eagle; 10 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren and a great-great-grandchild.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Henry Yurk; brothers, Carl, Rudy and Heine Schulz; sisters, Gertrude Schulz, Giesela Staddlebaur, Lizbeth Garcia and Inge Scharinger.
Visitation will be Monday, Dec. 26, from 1 to 8 p.m. at Lauber Funeral Home in Friend, with family greeting friends from 6 to 8 p.m. The funeral service will be at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cordova on Tuesday Dec. 27, at 10:30 a.m. with a luncheon to follow. Burial will be at Wolbach Cemetery at 2:30 p.m. the same day. Memorial contributions are suggested to the family for later designation. Arrangements by Lauber Funeral and Cremation Services.
