Maurice L. "Morrie" Korthals

Maurice “Morrie” Lee Korthals, 84, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on September 24, 2023 at the Ovations Heartwood Preserve. Morrie was born on July, 3, 1939 to Fred and Dena Korthals in George, Iowa. He was the seventh of eight children. The family farmed around the NW Iowa & SW Minnesota area, where Morrie developed his hard work ethic. He attended and graduated from Brewster High School in 1957, where he met and dated the homecoming queen, Ruth Duncan. Morrie attended Northwestern College and played football for one year, before enlisting in the United States Air Force. After completing Basic Training in San Antonio, Texas, he was assigned to the Strategic Air Command in Bellevue, NE. Morrie and Ruth were married on April 20, 1960. Over the next eight years and four states later, they were blessed with four children.

After fulfilling his Air Force commitment, he transitioned to a full-time job selling Cordon Blue Cookware. After the cookware days, Morrie sold life insurance for two years. In 1975, he began selling real estate. For the next nearly-50 years, Morrie helped countless people to buy and sell their homes. He has always said he never had a “job” because he always loved what he did – and it showed.

Morrie’s greatest joy in life has always been family. For their children and grandchildren, he made every effort to support them in their church, school, and sporting activities. He loved those opportunities to encourage them and let them know they were very special. As a die-hard Nebraska Cornhusker fan, for several years he rarely missed a home game and traveled to many away games as well. Morrie was a member of Westwood Community Church for 50 years. Morrie has always been a man of action. If Morrie was involved, he found a way to get things done. His passion and drive could be overwhelming at times but it was always done with the best intentions. Words don't do enough to describe what he meant to his family and everyone that knew him. He loved The Lord, loved his family, and loved others.

Morrie is survived by his wife of 63 years, Ruth; four children, Deb (Doug) Brown, Monument, CO; Darla Korthals, Omaha; Mark (Cheryl) Korthals, Phoenix; and Mike (Connie) Korthals, Los Angeles; eleven grandchildren, fourteen great-grandchildren; two brothers Fritz Korthals, and Ed Korthals; brother-in-law Roger Duncan; sister-in-law Rae (Mark) Mathias, and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and five siblings.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Westwood Community Church and Hillcrest Hospice (Nebraska).

A celebration of life will be Friday, October 6th at 11am at the Westwood Community Church in Omaha, officiated by Pastor Quinn Tirrel. Burial with full military honors in the Omaha National Cemetery will be at a later date.

John A. Gentleman Mortuaries is in charge of arrangements.

https://www.johnagentleman.com .