Carrie Cortez's Obituary
Carrie Cortez, the daughter of Guy Kahl and Ethel (Moore/Talmidge) Kahl, was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota where she grew up with her six siblings: Raymond, Theodore, Alva, Tommy, Gerald and Larry. The siblings lived on a farm, worked hard and went to school--life was not easy.
Around the age of 13, she went to live with the family of Pastor Theodore Hegre and his wife, Lucille Hegre. Theodore was the senior pastor at Bethany Church and Missionary Training Center in Bloomington, Minnesota, which would play a large role in Carrie’s life. She attended Bethany Missionary Training Center after finishing high school and then went to nursing school. It was while working as a registered nurse at Swedish hospital that she met the love of her life, Dr. Daniel (aka, Dan) Cortez. The nurse and the doctor were soon married.
Carrie and Dan had three children, Cynthia, David and Catherine. They raised their family mostly in Bloomington, Minnesota, while attending and maintaining close ties to Bethany Church. They would provide medical care to the residents of the church and missionary training center, and go on medical mission trips abroad.
After Dan retired, Carrie and Dan moved to Florida where Catherine and David lived, along with their families. They enjoyed fishing in the ocean, going to thrift stores and auctions, getting together with friends, and being with their children and grandchildren.
Upon the death of her beloved Dan in 2018, Carrie went to live with her daughter, Catherine. She remained there, being well cared for by Catherine and Catherine’s daughter, Kayla (Cortez) Robinson, until her passing on June 17, 2025. She died at home while holding the hand of a loved one, Kayla.
Carrie is survived by her brother Gerald Kahl, daughters Catherine Timuta and Cynthia Thirumalai, her grandchildren Alexandra Thirumalai, Kayla Robinson, Daniel Cortez, Samuel Thirumalai and Sophia Cortez, and great grandchildren Ellie Cortez and Layla Robinson.
A private service is being planned.
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