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John Gorge Kort II (September 8, 1933 — July 8, 2017)

John Gorge Kort II was born on September 8, 1933, to Elmer Carl and Esther Dachtler Kort in Berea, Ohio. While growing up he was known as Johnny by his friends and family. Johnny attended Berea High School, and Baldwin Wallace University where he majored in Accounting. Johnny was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity, Johnny was no stranger to hard work. He grew up working on a small farm with his father. While in college he started to work at Woolworth Department Store, where he met and fell in love with Barbara Mable Prinzler. They married on July 2, 1955. In 1972 John and Barb took a leap of faith and moved with their four children from Strongsville, Ohio, to Glenwood Springs, Colorado, where John and college classmate, Ray Thompson, started their own accounting firm. John touched the lives of so many people during the 45 years he lived in Glenwood Springs. John and Barb learned how to ski at Sunlight ski area when they were in their mid-40s. John was so committed to his children’s skiing passion he became the President of the Sunlight Ski Club. There were many nights during ski season John and Barb would coordinate the assembly line for ski lunches for the volunteers working the ski races. John had a real passion for accounting, which led him to become an accounting instructor at Colorado Mountain College for many years. During all those activities John’s love of driving and his love to be involved in young peoples’ lives led him to become a bus driver. John had a tremendous influence on the young people that rode his bus. John would often tell people “the real reason I became a bus driver is it gave me a great excuse to get out of the office.” He was also a mentor to the other drivers as John took driving very seriously. When John reached the time in his life that he felt he could no longer be the type of bus driver he wanted to be, he walked away still at the top of his game. During the final years of Barb’s life he became the caregiver of his bride that he loved so much. John’s passion for caring for people led him to become a volunteer at Valley View Hospital following the death of Barb where he would meet and greet visitors and employees. His goal was to put was to a smile on everyone’s face. John was a stranger to no one. He would often “run late” because he “had to talk to someone.” If you were to ask someone who knew John, “What is the one memory you have of John?” the most common answer would be, “John gives the world’s best neck and shoulder massages!” John left this earthly world with his four children and close friends at his side on July 8th at 5:36 am, to be reunited with his bride of 60 years. John leaves behind his children, Sandy and Mitch Hyra, Susan and Tony McCain, Russ and Fran Kort, and Rob and Mary Anne Kort. John had 7 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. John will be missed by all who knew him and forgotten by none. There will be a memorial service for John Wednesday, July 12, 2017, at the Farnum Holt Funeral Home in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, at 2:00PM.


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