Allan B. Kortz

Allan B. Kortz, M.D., M.S. died March 9, 2023, at age 97. His wife, Winifred J. Kortz, M.S., passed
away 15 months earlier on December 8, 2021, and at her death, they had been married 71
years. They are survived by two sons Warren J. Kortz, M.D. (wife, Susan) of Centennial, CO, and
Eric O. Kortz, M.D. (wife, Nan) of Tucson, AZ. Al and Winnie’s daughter, Pam (Kortz) Storey lives
in Euless, TX. In addition, they are survived by 11 grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Their oldest daughter, Barbara (Kortz) Reid, R.N., M.S., and her husband, Dan Reid, M.D.
preceded them in death as did one of their grandsons, Jason Kortz. Barb and Dan died climbing
Mt. Kenya in 1991. Eric and Nan’s son, Jason, died during his military service in 2015.
Allan grew up in Shaker Heights, Ohio, as the only child of Clyde (World War I veteran) and
Orpha Kortz. As a youth, he wrestled, ran cross-country, and became an Eagle Scout. Allan
enlisted in the Army immediately after high school and fought in Europe during World War II.
He attended Case Western Reserve for undergraduate and medical schools. After completing
his surgical residency in General and Thoracic Surgery at the University of Colorado, he
practiced clinical surgery for 36 years where he helped develop Swedish Medical Center and
Porter Memorial Hospital in south Denver. He worked for several years with his two surgeon
sons, Warren, and Eric.
After Allan retired from his surgical career, he obtained a master’s in health systems from
Denver University and was a healthcare consultant for several years. He returned to DU as the
director for that same master’s program after retiring from consulting.
Allan was an organized, driven individualist who was always focused forward. He was an
exercise advocate and started “running” in the neighborhood during the 1960’s before jogging
was a thing. He loved the outdoors where he hiked, camped, skied, and flew glider planes. He
also loved the simple things in life, like mint chocolate chip ice cream. Allan and Winifred
traveled extensively and famously flew once in the Super Sonic Concord to then ride the Orient
Express. They loved dogs and together did the Alaskan Iditarod with a guide. They both firmly
believed that “If you’re not the lead dog pulling a sled, the view never changes.”