John J. Kurt

John Julius Kurt, retired aviation mechanic, private pilot, and craftsman, died May 8 at the age of 85. John was born in Anthony, Kansas, on October 16, 1940, and grew up on the family farm near Attica, Kansas. After graduating from Attica High School, he joined the U.S. Navy, serving aboard the USS Currituck, a seaplane tender, with deployments in the Western Pacific. His training eventually led him to American Airlines, where he spent most of his working life as an aircraft mechanic at the Tulsa maintenance base. John retired from American Airlines but was never one to sit still. His so-called “retirement” years led him to more than a decade of work on commercial projects with Allied Refrigeration. Well into his 80s, he ferried vehicles across the country for a variety of Tulsa area car dealers. John married his high school sweetheart, Sue Heath, in 1960. They eventually settled in Owasso, Oklahoma, where they raised their two daughters. John and Sue quite literally built their life together, constructing their home by hand. A private pilot, John also built and flew his own experimental aircraft. He had a true gift for fixing things, and throughout his life, he rarely turned down calls from others needing his help, advice or the right tools. He also had a creative side. John crafted beautiful dining and coffee tables from slabs of timber. A member of Owasso First Methodist Church for nearly 60 years, he had his own sort of ministry, making decorative crosses from old copper pipe. He gave away hundreds of them to people across the country. John enjoyed spending time with friends in his coffee, church, aviation and ATV groups. He volunteered for airshows in Lakeland, Florida and Oshkosh, Wisconsin. He and Sue lived part of the year in Florence, Arizona, where he loved exploring mountain and desert trails with friends in his ATV. In March, he was one of the drivers for an ATV veterans honor ride through the mountains with more than 100 participants, mostly veterans. He was preceded in death by his parents, Julius and Ruth Kurt, and a brother, Paul. John is survived by his wife of nearly 66 years, Sue; daughter Kandi Kurt of Tulsa; daughter Kelly Kurt Brown and her husband, Mark Brown, also of Tulsa; grandsons Lucas and Jonas Brown; Sister Mary Ellen Burns of California; and brother Bob, of Kansas; along with lots of nieces and nephews. Plans for a celebration of life gathering will be announced at a later date. We encourage you to share your memories of John here, including details about any cross he may have made for you.

John J. Kurt

October 16, 1940 - May 8, 2026