Carol Florence Wurtzberger

Carol F. Wurtzberger, age 80 of Sleepy Eye, Minnesota died on June 29, 2025, peacefully at home. Visitation will be on Sunday, July 6, 2025, from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Sturm Funeral Home, Sleepy Eye Chapel with Christian Mothers Rosary at 3:30 p.m. and Parish Prayers at 3:45 p.m. prior to the visitation. Visitation will continue on Monday, July 7, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church - North Entrance. Funeral Mass will be held at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Sleepy Eye on Monday, July 7, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. and will be livestreamed at https://www.facebook.com/stmarysleepyeye. Interment will be at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Sleepy Eye. Arrangements are with Sturm Funeral Home in Sleepy Eye. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.sturmfh.com.

Carol Florence (Hilleshiem) Wurtzberger, the second of three daughters of Edmund and Rosella (Schroepfer) Hilleshiem, was born on August 28, 1944, in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota. As a very young girl, her dad died and her mom remarried which gave her the opportunity to be a big sister to four more siblings. She grew up on the family farm in Leavenworth where she attended grade school and then went to school in Comfrey, graduating in 1962. Carol met the love of her life, Patrick Wurtzberger while at the dentist and on June 9, 1964, they were united in marriage at the Church of the Japanese Martyrs in Leavenworth. Carol and Patrick were blessed with four children.

Over the years, Carol worked as a cook in the kitchen at Del Monte, the Orchid Inn, Schutz Family Foods, and as a daycare provider, all in Sleepy Eye. She liked gardening, had many vegetables gardens and even planted and harvested for Gedney pickles. She loved being a wife, mom, grandma, and great grandma most of all. She made the best German potato salad, an even better carrot cake, and was famous for her amazing wedding cakes. Playing Yahtzee, Kings Corner and Uno with her grandchildren brought her the greatest of joys. Carol’s beautiful smile, weekly phone calls with her children, willingness to help anyone with anything, and joyful laugh will be missed beyond measure.

Carol is survived by her husband and best friend of 61 years, Patrick Wurtzberger; children, Laurie (Wurtzberger) Berg, Jeff (Kris) Wurtzberger, and Tom (Sheila) Wurtzberger; son-in-law, Kris Peterson; grandchildren, Dustin, Jordan, Nicole, Dylan (Stephanie), Zachary, and Katelyn; great-grandchildren, Freya, Astrid, Calcifer, and Leopold; siblings, Bernetta (Ronald) Helget, Diane (Elroy "Si") Seifert, James (Cindy) Hilleshiem, Beverly (Steve) Soukup, John (Lorraine) Hilleshiem, and Christina (Christopher) Hopp; many nieces and nephews; and other loving relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her father, Edmund Hilleshiem; mother, Rosella Hilleshiem; stepfather, James Hilleshiem; daughter, Pamela (Wurtzberger) Peterson; father and mother-in-law, Florian and Eleanor Wurtzberger.