John D. Wurzburger, 96, died Jan. 1, 2011, at VNA Hospice House in Vero Beach.
He was born in Syracuse, N.Y.
He was a 1938 graduate of Syracuse University where he played on the basketball team.
He was comptroller of the American Plastic Works in Auburn, N.Y.
He and his family enjoyed their summers at the Owasco Lake Yacht Club where he was treasurer and then a commodore.
In 1953, he moved his family to Miami where he invested in real estate and founded John’s Tax Service in North Miami, which he operated for 45 years.
He was also an accountant with Eastern Airlines. John says he traveled the world on standby!
In addition to playing basketball and later tennis, he loved to play bridge.
He was a member of the American Contract Bridge League, the La Gorce Country Club in Miami Beach, Florida, and the Surf Club in Surfside, Florida.
He was a member of the Church by the Sea in Bal Harbor.
In 2002, he moved to Vero Beach to be closer to his children and founded a real estate investment company with them.
He was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church and continued to enjoy playing bridge at the Vero Beach Bridge Club.
Survivors include his wife, Sarah, of Nashville; daughter, Patricia (Jerry) Perkins; son, John B. (Jeanne) Wurzburger; granddaughter, Leslie (Nick) Smiciklas; grandson, Jerry E. Perkins; Loretta B. Farrell, the mother of his children; and the joy of his later years, his great-granddaughter, Summer Smiciklas, all of Vero Beach.
He was preceded in death by his wives, Margy Hilson Wurzburger and Neoma Boadway Wurzburger; and his grandson Allen John Perkins.
The family received friends 2-4 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 5, at Cox-Gifford-Seawinds Funeral Home in Vero Beach with a memorial service following at 4 p.m. at the funeral home, Rev. Lou Gwynn of Trinity Episcopal Church as celebrant.
Burial Services will be on Thursday, Jan. 6, at 1 p.m. at Southern Memorial Park, 15000 West Dixie Highway, North Miami.
Memorial Contributions may be made to the Scholarship Fund of the Exchange Club of Vero Beach, PO Box 1982, Vero Beach, FL 32961 or the charity of your choice.
Arrangements are under the direction of Cox-Gifford-Seawinds Funeral Home and Crematory, Vero Beach, Florida.
Condolences may be sent through www.coxgiffordseawindsfh.com/obit.php