In memory of Kenneth Kurze, 1936-2021

The Junior Year in Munich Program is sad to announce the death of alum Kenneth Kurze (JYM 1956-57), who passed away last winter. His wife, whom he met during his junior year and with whom he had four children and traveled the world together, died nearly two years prior in 2019.

Ken was one of three students from Brown University on the JYM program and was an active photographer for the group. Thanks to him and his documentation, we have a good handful of photographs from his class. His classmate, Ken Wiggins, had just finished an article for the alumni newsletter featuring many of Kurze's photographs when he sadly found out about Ken Kurze's death.

While on the program Ken met his future wife Ingrid Fischer when they were snowed in at an Alpine hut on the Zugspitze in Germany. Ingrid was from Selb, Bavaria, and as a young adult, taught religion in Munich.

After JYM, Ken returned to the States where he finished his undergraduate degree from Brown University in 1958 and the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (1959), he decided to follow his dreams by joining the foreign service. Ken and Ingrid married in Rhode Island in 1960 and together enjoyed 30 years in the service of the United States. They went on assignments to seven different countries including India, Nepal, Australia, and France while they raised their four children, enjoying home leaves in both Cranston, RI, and Selb, Germany. Ken boasted fluency in German, French and Hindi!

JYM is grateful to Ken who was active in keeping in contact with his cohort and their whereabouts and identifying classmates on old photographs. He had regular contact with the JYM office in Detroit and many conversations with Louise Speed over the years, who spoke delightfully of him!

Please read Ken Kurze's full obituary at this online memorial and visit the tribute wall to write a message.

To read Ingrid Sonja (Fischer) Kurze's obituary visit this online memorial.