Kenneth Lee Jurica

On February 14, 2024, Heaven got a new angel. Kenneth Lee Jurica, a resident of Burleson, finished his work here.  
Ken was born on August 25, 1945 in Shiner, the only son of Felix and Vlasta Baros Jurica. Ken grew up and worked on the family farm. He attended Shiner High School. In High School, he was always at the top of the class and was a great athlete. In the summer of 1963, a year before graduation, Ken was involved in an auto accident. A broken hip was the result for Ken. The broken hip and subsequent limp never defined Ken. For most of his life, Ken was in constant pain, but the pain never slowed him down. Most people had no idea.
With the help of his friends and teachers, Ken finished high school. Academically he sailed thru the rest of high school and college, earning a degree in Business from Southwest State Teachers College, now Texas State. Ken’s first job after college was management training with JC Penney in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. While working there, Ken met the love of his life, Ramona Beth Altazan. For Mona, it was love at first sight. They dated for some time before she even noticed he had a limp. On May 31, 1969, Ken and Mona married in Baton Rouge.
Soon after, Ken accepted a position with Montgomery Ward and the Jurica’s were off to San Angelo. Then Lubbock and Arlington and finally Burleson. During this time, Ken and Mona became parents. First Lisa Marie in 1970, then Kevin Lee in 1974.  Because of Ken’s reputation, after Ward’s, the headhunters came calling. First to Bizmart, then Little Things, a children’s superstore. When Little Things went out of business, Ken and Mona decided to go into business for themselves. “Utterly Country” in Colleyville was born.
At the request of some of his good customers, Ken started making a line of small furniture in his workshop at home. That turned into “Creative Woods” and a new business was created. That venture only ended because it was time to retire. Well, that’s what he thought. After he retired, the ARB (Appraisal Review Board) in Tarrant County came calling. He worked for them until 2020. It was a summer job; he liked it and as with all things he did, he was very good at it.
During all this time, Ken has experienced four hip replacement surgeries, one knee replacement surgery, gall bladder surgery, prostate surgery and a few other surgeries. After his heart started acting up a few years ago, a cardiac pacemaker was placed in his chest. As mentioned earlier, his pain was constant. In November Ken was diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS). A short time later it turned into Leukemia. On February 14, he lost his battle with that miserable disease.
Ken Jurica was a great son, husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend. He was loved and will be missed. Ken’s love for all his grandkids was absolute and unwavering. He was sustained by the love of his family and his abiding faith in his savior, Jesus Christ.
Survivors include the love of his life and wife of almost 55 years, Mona Jurica; son, Kevin and wife Christine; daughter, Lisa and husband Derek; five grandchildren; Abby, Olivia, Jack, Kaden and Kai; sister, Pat; and aunt, Emily Ramey. Ken also leaves behind an assortment of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends that will miss him dearly.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, February 21 at the Laurel Land Funeral Chapel, 7100 Crowley Road, Ft. Worth.
Interment will follow at Laurel Land Memorial Park.
Pallbearers are Andrew Schacherl, Ed Neubauer, Kevin Jurica, Buford Jurica, Kayden Jurica and Jack Taylor.  
A Celebration of Life for Ken will be held in Shiner at a later date.
Memorials: Hospice House At Huguley, 301 Medpark Cir., Burleson, Texas 76028.