Nancy Pennington Wurzback was born July 4, 1924 in Perry County, Kentucky. She passed away January 12, 2016 at age 91.
Nancy grew up in Perry County working odd jobs to help support her family. She met and was befriended by members of the Frontier Nursing Service in Hyden, Kentucky. Through the encouragement and support of these friends, she attended and graduated from Southland Bible Institute in Pike County, Kentucky.
At Southland she met Harold Wurzback, a veteran of World War II and a native of Irvington, New Jersey. Harold and Nancy married June 15, 1952. Shortly after, they began their lifelong commitment to serving the people of Eastern Kentucky. They were both touched by the many needs of the children of the mountains and dedicated their lives to the improvement of the children’s conditions. 1952 to 1958 they served as house parents, role models and counselors in children’s homes in Martin, Wolfe and Rockcastle counties.
In 1958 Harold and Nancy became members of Kentucky Mountain Mission. KMM is centered in Lee County, Kentucky and serves the Eastern Kentucky area through Youth Haven Bible Camp with summer/fall camps and youth programs in churches and schools.
Harold and Nancy moved to Bell County in 1958 where they began a school visitation program that took the Christian message to elementary schools in Bell and Harlan counties. They worked during summer and fall months taking campers from Bell and Harlan counties to Youth Haven Bible Camp in Lee County. Nancy was the camp’s head cook for 27 years, cooking three meals a day for over 100 hungry campers and staff.
Harold passed away in 1971. Nancy continued on alone with her commitment to serve the people of Eastern Kentucky. In 2006, Nancy took “semi” retirement after 48 years with KMM.
Mrs. Wurzback is survived by many family members and friends whom she loved. She will be missed by all who knew and loved her.
Services will be conducted by Rev. William Owens, Sat. Jan. 16th at the Youth Haven Bible Camp, Beattyville, KY with visitation beginning at 11AM at the church. Burial will be 1PM Sunday at the Green Hills Memorial Gardens in Middlesboro, KY.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Kentucky Mountain Mission for the Nancy Wurzback Kitchen Memorial Fund at Youth Haven Bible Camp. P.O. Box 588 Beattyville, KY 41311