Aug. 29, 1920 - Jan. 9, 2007

Charles Edward Peter Wurtz, 86, of Corvallis died Tuesday in Junction City.

He was born in Detroit, Mich., to Charles Edward and Martha Lydia (Waddell) Wurtz. His family moved to Port Angeles, Wash., when he was just over a year old. He left home at an early age to help with expenses after his father died when Charles was 10. Charles became a jockey and traveled up and down the West coast running in the different races. He worked for Charles Howard when he owned and ran the famous Seabiscuit, who he got to exercise at times. When he joined the Army he worked in the last horse-drawn Calvary unit.

Charles worked as a medic in the Army in World War II and was present in France during both the invasion at Normandy Beach and the Battle of the Bulge. He served active duty in the Army and Naval Reserves, before his retirement as a master-sergeant in the Air Force Reserves.

He married Nadine on Nov. 18, 1964, in Reno, Nev.

He was a lab tech in V.A. hospitals in West Virginia, Milwaukee, Wis., Reno, Nev., Omaha, Neb., DesMoines, Iowa, and Knoxville, Iowa, and at the Navaho Medical Center in Arizona, the Alaska Native Hospital and Grants Pass Clinic in Grants Pass.

He was a certified auctioneer and was active in the Boy Scouts, V.F.W., NARFE (National Association of Retired Federal Employees), American Legion and the Air Force Sergeants Association.

He was a member of Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Corvallis.

He lived in Sutherlin for 28 years and moved to Corvallis in 2004. He enjoyed fishing, hunting and camping.

He is survived by wife Nadine; children Julia Learned of Sutherlin, Robert Wurtz and wife Ilonka of Cornelius, Brenda Brumbaugh and husband Tim of Albany; grandchildren Christina Learned of Middleton, N.Y., Jason Learned of Minnesota and Benjamin, Andrew, Nathan, Matthias and Stephen Brumbaugh, all of Albany; and sister Peggy Satter of Salem.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Frank, sister Pearl D and son-in-law Daniel Learned.

Viewing will be from 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16, at DeMoss-Durdan Funeral Home.

A funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17, at DeMoss-Durdan Funeral Home. Burial with military honors will be at Willamette National Cemetery.