Obituary of Frederick A. Nurge

Frederick "Fred" A. Nurge, a longtime Vineland farmer, passed away on March 14, 2021 with his beloved daughter and son-in-law by his side, he was 79. Born in St. Albans, Queens NY to Fred C. and Evelyn (Schmidt) Nurge, Fred was raised in neighboring Rosedale, NY. A true farmer, he lived most of his life outdoors. From a young age, Fred worked on the family farm on Long Island. In 1959 he graduated from the agriculture studies program at Newtown High School Annex in Flushing, Queens. A few years later he enlisted in the New York Army National Guard. Still passionate about farming, in 1967 Fred purchased a 10 acre farm in Vineland, NJ. Two years later he married his childhood sweetheart and the love of his live, Ruth, and in 1971 they had a daughter Susan. Fred and Ruth worked side by side, their hard work, vision and commitment to each other helped expand F.A. Nurge Farms to 72 acres and become a successful and respected farming operation for nearly 40 years. From an early age Fred enjoyed working on classic cars, trucks and tractors. A talented mechanic, Fred took great pride in his work. He was known as a vintage Ford tractor and truck aficionado and will always be regarded for his willingness to lend a hand and mentor those that requested help, whether it be with farming, mechanics or anything else. While he worked very hard his whole life, in retirement, Fred enjoyed his quiet time tinkering in the barn, restoring many of his vintage tractors to 'museum condition'. He also appreciated military aircraft and enjoyed reading about them and visiting aviation museums when he could. Fred was a friend to everyone and made an impression on all he met. He was famous for his stories; you couldn't visit him without being prepared to stay and chat for at least 2 hours. Fred was a longstanding member of the Vineland Cooperative Produce Auction and the Cumberland County Board of Agriculture where he served on the Board of Directors, as Vice President and President. He was an elected official of the Cumberland County ASC Committee and FSA Committee and a proud member of the NJ Farm Bureau and the Vegetable Growers Association of NJ. Fred also represented his community by serving on the Planning Board of the City of Vineland. Fred was respected by many, he will be fondly remembered by his friends and colleagues in the farming and business community. Fred is survived by his daughter & son-in-law, Susan Nurge & Justin Gangemi of Vineland NJ; his brother & sister-in-law, Richard & Deanna Nurge of Gilroy California; his first cousin (who was like a sister) & husband, Betty & Al Sparrow of Eastport, NY. He is also survived by many extended family and friends. Fred is predeceased by his beloved wife of 36 years, Ruth; his parents, Fred C. and Evelyn (Schmidt) Nurge; and his step-mother, Annemarie (Oeynhausen) Nurge. Relatives and friends are invited to Fred's celebration of life on Sunday, March 20, 2022. Visitation is from 11am until 1pm at DeMarco-Luisi Funeral Home, 2755 S Lincoln Ave, Vineland, NJ; a memorial service will immediately follow at the funeral home at 1pm; feel free to prepare any kind words you would like to contribute. Interment will be held privately. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution in Fred's name to: MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper, 101 Haddon Ave, Suite 202 Camden, NJ 08103 or Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey, 3 Manhattan Drive, Burlington, NJ 08016.