Donald G. Kurtz, 64, decorated war veteran

Donald G. Kurtz, 64, of Blue Bell, a decorated Vietnam War veteran, a stockbroker, and an advocate for Alzheimer's patients, died of the disease Saturday at the Abramson Center in Horsham.

Mr. Kurtz was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2001. He had always been good with numbers, he later told a reporter, and visited a neurologist after he had difficulty adding Scrabble scores.

He made the best of his situation, his son, Chad, said, and never asked, "Why me?" Mr. Kurtz told the reporter in 2003 that he learned in the Army how to deal with adversity and considered his disease a challenge.

After his diagnosis, he was able to continue working for a year as a vice president at Morgan Stanley Investment Management in West Conshohocken. For the next two years, he served as a volunteer three days a week at Chestnut Hill Hospital. He participated in clinical trials for medicines, and stayed fit by working out at a gym.

He also became a spokesman for the Alzheimer's Association, his son said. In 2003, he testified before Congress to request more funds for Alzheimer's research and to promote awareness of the disease.

A Pittsburgh native, Mr. Kurtz graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1965. He served a tour of duty in Vietnam, and completed 51 combat missions on helicopters relaying information about enemy positions to pilots. He was awarded the Bronze Star. Later, he was stationed in Germany.

After his discharge as a captain, Mr. Kurtz was a stockbroker for Drexel Burnham Lambert in Philadelphia, then worked for other investment companies before joining Morgan Stanley in 1996.

He played basketball with coworkers and friends into his late 50s, his son said, and was an excellent card player.

In 1965, he married Ronnie Trout, with whom he had two daughters; they later divorced. In 1979, he married Barbara Block; they had two daughters and a son before divorcing.

In addition to his son, Mr. Kurtz is survived by his partner of more than 11 years, Rosalind Ruby; daughters Stacy Weinman, Sloane Zane and Ashley; a brother; four grandchildren; and his former wives. A daughter, Courtney, died in 1981.

A funeral was Sunday at Goldsteins' Rosenberg's Raphael-Sacks. A memorial service will be at 1:30 p.m. tomorrow at the Jewish Chapel, followed by a military burial, at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y.