Martha Ann (Wangerin) Kurica, age 68, passed away following an accident in Kona, Hawaii on November 27, 2023.

Marty was born in Colorado Springs and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing with the highest honors from the University of Colorado Boulder. While working in the pediatric ICU at Denver Children’s Hospital in 1979, she met the love of her life, Dr. Kenneth Kurica. They married in 1982 and true to Marty’s core character she was able to pursue her career, support Ken’s career as an orthopedic surgeon, and start a beautiful family.

Marty was an avid adventurer, traveling to over 100 countries across 7 continents. These adventures included crossing the Drake Passage into Antarctica, circumnavigating the globe on Semester at Sea, and even skydiving at age 60. She was a cyclist, skier, tennis player, scuba diver, rafter, and sailor. Her life was an incredible journey. Her passion for adventure and travel paled in comparison to her love for others. It wasn’t only about the places visited, but more importantly the people she was with, creating lifelong friendships and memories. She laughed often, loved even more, and was always supportive of those in need.

Marty had a deep faith in Christ as her Savior and God as her heavenly Father. Africa held a special place in Marty’s heart where she co-established Finding Refuge, a mission to rescue children in Ghana from slavery. Intelligent, beautiful, loving, strong, caring, and selfless all come to mind when thinking of Marty. She was a devoted wife, mother, and grammy instilling in them a compassion for others, a strong work ethic, and a zest for life. Marty loved spending time with her family at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, winters in Breckenridge, summers at the lake in Vermont, camping, and cheering on the Colorado Avalanche.

She is survived by her loving family; husband Kenneth, her children Tyler (Kari), Laura (Ryan), and Stephanie (Christopher), as well as grandchildren Mackenna, Eliana and Hudson. Marty will be forever loved and fondly remembered.

A memorial service will be held on December 8, 2023 at 1:00 pm MST at Woodmen Valley (Stone Chapel), 280 E Woodmen Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80919. We humbly invite all who knew and loved Marty to attend. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to https://everloved.com/life-of… for the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. After the funeral, there will be a reception later that day.  

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