Juergen K. Fuerst

Juergen Fuerst, lost his battle to lymphoma on Wednesday, 9/28/2011. He was born in Berlin, Germany in 1929 to Kathe and Paul Simson Fuerst. After growing up in Berlin, his family moved to Bremerhaven after WWII. In Bremerhaven, Juergen went to trade school to become a brick mason. It was also in Bremerhaven that he met the love of his life, Christa. After the war, times were tough in Germany, so he immigrated to Houston in 1953. He lived with his sister Edith and her husband Bill for a short time. Christa followed him in 1954 and they were married in Houston.

He served honorably in the U.S. Army from 1955-1960. He and Christa were married for almost 50 years, enjoyed building a life together in Houston and lived the American dream. Juergen, Christa and their two children enjoyed many family gatherings with his sister Edith and her family. They also enjoyed camping and traveling in their camper throughout America and made a few trips back to Germany to see family and friends. He was a brick mason by trade, but his true passion was soccer which he had learned to love as a child in Germany. As a young man, he played on the Houston Sangerbund team. He was very influential in the growth of soccer in the Houston community as an organizer of league soccer, coach and referee for many years. He enjoyed sharing his love and knowledge of the game with both young and old. After becoming a grandfather, he came to Orange to share a few tricks of the game with his grandchildren and their teammates. The players always loved for “Opa” to come and coach them. He was able to referee soccer through his 80th year.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Gunter; and his wife Christa in 2003. Those left to cherish his memory are: his son, Brian Fuerst of Houston; his daughter Brigitte Fuerst Mangham and husband Sam of Orange, Texas and their children Eric (Little Rock, Ark), Scott (Fayetteville, Ark), and Emily Mangham (College Station). He will also be missed by his sister - Edith Johnson and husband Bill,their children Stephanie McDaniels, Darlene Snell, and Stephen Johnson and their families along with several nephews in Germany and Holland. A memorial service will be held on Friday, October 14th at 10 a.m., at the Hunters Creek Chapel of Earthman Funeral Directors in Houston followed by Inurnment at the Houston National Cemetery at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the American Cancer Society P.O. Box 570127, Houston, TX 77257 or a charity of your choice.