James Kurka

James Burch Kurka was born on January 1, 1990, in St. Louis Park, MN. He was adopted and raised by Gary and Mary Jo (Burch) Kurka of Minneota. He graduated from Marshall High School in 2008. He proudly served his country in the United States Military from 2008 - 2010. James moved to Dekalb, IL, where he planned to enroll in school for fire-fighting and EMT training. He enjoyed working out and playing basketball and was very fond of his nieces and nephews. James died on Tuesday, June 5, 2012, in Union, IL. He is survived by his father, Gary Kurka, of Minneota, siblings Sara (and Kyle) Strickfaden of Norwood Young America, Will, Grant and Ethan of Minneota, nieces and nephews Grace, Noah, Jack and Kate, grandparents Jim and Ruth Burch of Ladysmith, WI, and Dick and Sharon Mills of Bloomington, MN, special friend Amanda Voss of Union, IL. He was preceded in death by his mother, Mary Jo Kurka, and his paternal grandparents. "I am absolutely sure that not even death or life can separate us from God's love. Not even angels or demons, the present or the future, or any powers can do that. Not even the highest places or the lowest, or anything else in all creation can do that. Nothing at all can ever separate us from God's love because of what Christ Jesus our Lord has done. - Romans 8: 38 -39