Hilda Kurowski

Hilda Kurowski, 88, much beloved wife and mother, passed away peacefully in her home in Davis on January 18th, with her husband of 58 years, Gary close by her.
Born on July 25, 1933 to Herbert and Anna Matzner in Stickney, SD, Hilda grew up on the family homestead farm and attended nursing school after graduating high school. She worked in hospitals both in SD and MN before moving to Berkeley, CA for a nursing job.
Hilda always had a great love of travel and her adventurous spirit and deep religious beliefs took her to New Guinea in the late 1950’s for five years to be a missionary nurse.
Upon her return, she wished to obtain her university degree in nursing and was one of the first women admitted to the program at Duke University where she met her husband Gary.
They married in 1963 and moved to Davis, CA where Gary started teaching at UCD. Hilda worked as a nurse in Davis and became a loving mother to her three children, Holly, Lisa and Laurie. While being highly involved in her children’s activities she continued her education and earned a Master’s degree in Nutrition from UCD. With her degree, Hilda went back into the work force to be a field nurse for Yolo County for 12 years helping disadvantaged families in need.
Hilda believed in activism and community service. She participated in many organizations including the League of Women voters, the March of Dimes, UNICEF, and served as a project leader in 4-H teaching many children how to sew. She was very active in her church, serving on numerous committees, singing in the choir and teaching Sunday school.
Hilda greatly enjoyed nature, gardening and walks with her friends. She also loved reading and participated in several book clubs. Hilda painted and did embroidery in the 70s and sewed throughout her life.
Her love of family and travel continued in yearly family trips to the ocean, at Bodega Bay, Monterey and Carmel as well as road trips to SD and other parts of the Midwest to visit her brother Norval and his wife LaVonne and her niece and nephews. Accompanied by her daughters Lisa and Laurie as well as brother and nieces and nephews Hilda visited her family origins outside of Prague on a whirlwind trip of Europe (France, Austria and Germany) in 2004.
As a mother and a friend, Hilda was very thoughtful and kind, possessing intelligence, compassion and understanding of others. She was quite patient, though she would most likely argue that she was not. Her faith was her guiding light in how she lived a life of high integrity. She instilled in her children the value that you can accomplish anything to which you put your mind to.
Throughout her life she brought joy and helped people heal, provided hospice care, and touched the lives of countless people across the globe. Hilda will always be remembered as a woman who lived to care for the health of others.
Hilda is survived by her husband Gary; her daughters Holly Chamberlain (Michael Fell) of Medford, OR, Lisa Victoria (Joe) of Ames, IA, and Laurie Kurowski of Ames, IA; and her brother Norval Matzner of Stickney, SD. She will be dearly missed.
There will be a celebration of life to remember Hilda on January 25th at 12:30pm at Davis Lutheran Church in Davis, CA. In lieu of flowers please send donations to Yolo Food Bank.