After a life well lived, Ty died August 22 at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, MO, just 12 days past his 99th birthday. He was born in Braman, Oklahoma on August 10, 1913 to Anna (Grell) and Jesse Shurtz. By 1933, he had graduated from Braman High School and Northern Oklahoma Jr. College in Tonkawa, OK. Always a baseball fan, he also played the game. At his best, Ty was an "ace" catcher for semi-pro baseball team, the Blackwell, OK B & B Oilers in the late 30's and early 40's. He served in Army ordnance during WWII, returned to work as an oilfield lease operator for DX Sunray, Sun Oil, and Kerr-McGee, retiring in 1978 after 45 years. In 1937, he married Viola "Billie" Noll in Crown Point, IN, while on their way to Chicago for a Yankee/White Sox game. They returned to Chicago for games between the Yankees and Cubs during the 1938 World Series. Ty and Billie were married for 63 years. During those years together, they were avid sports fans. Having moved to Springfield after retirement to be closer to their son's family, they attended all their grandsons' football games, basketball games, and track meets, both home and away. They also attended Kickapoo Legion baseball games, MSU football and both men's and women's basketball games for years. Ty loved fishing and giving his opinions about his favorite teams: the New York Yankees and the Oklahoma Sooners football team. The last several years, he'd become quite the two-stepping dancer going to three or four dances every week, and even attending western swing dance festivals in Wagoner, OK. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, and sisters Etta Van Hoy, Eileen Gillham, and Ann Spore. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Mort and Jane Shurtz, Springfield, MO; grandsons Jay Shurtz and fiancé Rachelle Hyder, Vail, CO; and Matt Shurtz and wife Krista, Springfield, MO; great-grandchildren, Tyrus and Ava Shurtz, Springfield, MO; sisters Wilda Rice and June Chapek, Wichita, KS; Delores Hornsby, Falfurrias, TX; a special cousin, Orvan Grell and wife Phyllis, Braman, OK; and a great many nieces, nephews, and friends. Visitation will be Sunday at Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home between 3 and 4 p.m. The funeral service will be Monday at 1 p.m. at Gorman-Scharpf. Ty will be buried at noon on Tuesday in Braman, OK. Because he spent so many happy hours there, the family requests memorial contributions be made to: Southside Senior Center, 2215 S. Fremont St., Springfield, MO 65804, attn: Ty Shurtz Memorial.