Dorothy Marie Wurz

Dorothy Marie Wurz was born February 5th, 1925, in the home of her grandmother, on Johnson Street, in Healdsburg, California.
She passed peacefully in her home on June 28th, 2022, at the age of 97.
Dorothy lived in Marshalltown, Iowa in the 30s, where she attended elementary school. Her parents divorced when she was two years old.
After some time, the family relocated to Vallejo, California where Dorothy continued her education until her junior year. She moved to Napa around the age of 16, living on her own, renting a small room in the attic of the Burton house on Brown Street.
Dorothy enrolled in Napa High School and worked at Walshs Creamery on Main Street where she met her future husband, Albert Eugene Wurz. Al loved her rocky road milkshakes!
Their first date was to a movie. On their second date, they went to an open-air dance hall in Larkspur. Al was a good dancer and Dorothy was hooked. Dorothy and Al loved dancing together and danced to many big name bands at the Dream Bowl in Napa.
They were once cast as extras for a dance scene in the movie This Earth is Mine, filmed in Napa.
With World War II in progress, Al enlisted in the Navy yearning to be a pilot. Dorothy and Al were engaged for 26 months waiting to marry until Al was commissioned September 1, 1944, and he received his Navy Wings of Gold.
They married October 1, 1944, in the Napa Methodist Church on Randolph Street.
Following a brief honeymoon to Clear Lake, Dorothy and Al moved to Lake City, Florida where Al was stationed with the Navy, eventually settling in Miami where Al served as a flight instructor.
Their first son, Ronald Louis Wurz was born September 21, 1945, in Miami, Florida.
Following the end of the war, Dorothy and Al returned to Napa where their remaining children were born, Lee Allen Wurz November 1947, Claudia Marie Wurz January 1952, and Laura Ann Wurz July 1955.
Al remained in the Navy Reserves for many years and to the delight of his children would perform many low flyovers in loud jets, waving his wings to his family below, until one neighbor complained.
Al co-owned a small plane and continued to fly serving with the Napa Sheriffs Aero-squadron. Dorothy learned to fly as Als co-pilot and together they enjoyed many flying adventures with other members and friends in the squadron.
Working mainly in agriculture, starting with Als fathers Wurz Ranches the couple later branched off with their own ranches that the whole family worked, including many naïve nieces, nephews, and neighbors.
Dorothy was labeled a domestic goddess by her children. She cleaned, cooked, sewed, gardened, and worked alongside Al and the kids filling smudge pots during frost season, picking prunes, and driving truck for Al during harvest time when needed.
Dorothy also helped sell weed killer and hay to supplement their income.
One morning, while Dorothy was doing laundry, a gentleman approached the backdoor to make a purchase. With the washer and dryer running in the background, the man inquired about the price. Dorothy yelled 25 cents a gallon with the man responding Hay? Thinking he was hard of hearing she repeated, louder, 25 cents a gallon until she realized he wanted to buy some hay.
Dorothy and Al attended the First Presbyterian Church in Napa and later became charter members of the Covenant Presbyterian Church.
Dorothy was an avid bowler in her younger years. She was a member of the Salvador Mothers Club, TOPs, the Weekend Loafers RV Club, and many other social groups.
Dorothy and Al loved to travel and were fortunate enough to have traveled to Europe, Canada, Mexico, and many other destinations.
Dorothy had a great sense of humor.
One summer, when her nephew Butch was visiting, she decided to bake a marble cake for dessert.
Butch, being the inquisitive type, asked her why they call it marble cake, does it have marbles in it he laughed?
Well, ask and you shall receive. Dorothy proceeded to put marbles in the batter ensuring that Butch got his marble cake.
Dorothy was a great hostess and enjoyed her wine every evening with a good fire. She loved cooking with wine sometimes she put it in the food.
One fond memory, she spoke often about, was teaching her nieces how to make malfattis. The more wine they drank, the bigger the malfattis got.
Dorothy and Al were married for 55 years until his passing January 6, 2000.
Beloved by all, Dorothy is survived by her four children Ronald and Lee Wurz, Claudia Luque, and Laura Beaufils. She had 5 grandchildren, Philip Luque, Amanda Johnson, Danielle Beaufils, Rachel Jones, and Lucas Wurz. She leaves numerous great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and extended family. She enjoyed many happy hours with all.

A viewing will be held at Tulocay Cemetery, 411 Coombsville Road, Napa, on Tuesday, July 12th from 9-11 am.and a service will commence at 11 am with a reception to follow. Dorothy will be entombed with Al in Tulocay Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggest donations be made in her memory to Bridge Hospice Care, 1261 Travis Blvd., Suite 250, Fairfield, CA 94533.

A special thank you to our extended family, friends, and wonderful neighbors, for their continuing support, prayers and kind words during this difficult time.

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