ELLINWOOD — Joseph “Joe” Herman Wirtz, 91, died Aug. 23, 2015, at Woodhaven Care Center in Ellinwood. Born March 24, 1924, at the family farm east of Ellinwood, he was the son of Frank and Anna Schaplowsky Wirtz. He was a graduate of Ellinwood High School. On Nov. 7, 1945, he married Joyce E. Mefford in Ellinwood. She died on Sept. 16, 2000. A lifetime resident of the Ellinwood area, he was a farmer. He served on the board of Farmers Mutual  Insurance of Ellinwood for 47 years
Mr. Wirtz was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church.
Survivors include three sons, Jonathan and Patti Wirtz, of Olathe, Jeff and Cindy Wirtz, of Buhler, and Jerry and Debbie Wirtz, of Ellinwood; five daughters, Judy and Rod Berger, of Halstead, Jayne Wirtz of Ellinwood, Joleen Wirtz of Topeka, Juanita and Allen Landry, Tulsa, Okla., and Jeanette and Ted Trinka, Hoisington; a sister, Maggie Gerstenkorn of Great Bend; 12 grandchildren;  14 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, James Wirtz; a grandson, Christopher Gross; five brothers, and two sisters.
Funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Ellinwood with Father Terrance Klein and Father Ted Stoecklein officiating. Burial will be at the Lakin Comanche Cemetery in Ellinwood. Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday at Birzer Funeral Home in Lyons and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday at the church with a Parish Vigil at 7 p.m. Memorials are suggested to St. Joseph School Endowment Fund or Kans for Kids in care of the funeral home.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Birzer Funeral Home*
214 West Avenue South
Lyons, KS.  67554
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Aug. 25, 2015