Topic: Kurt Ugland
started by: Liberal
Posted by Liberal on Nov. 26 2008,11:57 am
Kurt was a 1982 graduate of Albert Lea and one of the nicest guys I've ever known. Everyone my age knew who Kurt was, partly because he ran the local Karate school when he was in High school, but mostly because he loved to have fun. QUOTE
As many of u know Kurt Ugland was on his annual fall adventure tour. This year he was in Honduras. It's always been a joy to follow his adventures via his messaging in only a way Kurt can do it. Giving his interesting & fun perspective.
I received an email from Kurt's Blackerry last night from Danielle, Kurt's traveling partner in Honduras (I have been keeping his travel blog up to date with his text & photos). She was at the La Ceiba police station.
(I waited to send this email until some people had been contacted more personally)
It's with tremendous shock & sadness...
Our longtime good friend Kurt Ugland drowned Sunday, Nov 23rd near La Ceiba, Honduras when his raft flipped at a class 5 point while white water rafting. No more details than that right now.
I have also talked with Kurt's brother, Mitch. He is in touch with the US Embassy & State Dept. He will keep me up to date on info, services, and I will relay to u. Our hearts go out to Mitch & family. He's having a rough time right now.
It's been less than a day & I (we) miss him greatly already. He was a true friend to all of us and always a joy to be around.
Perhaps we can take a small amount of solace in the fact he was on one of his world adventures, which he loved.
I received this photo from Kurt Sunday, probably the last photo of our good friend & Mitch's brother Give Kurt a good thought every day.
< Kurt's Travels >
Here's a link to Kurt's Blog.
< http://kurtstravels.ning.com >
Posted by fredbear on Nov. 26 2008,12:34 pm
That's pretty sad. We hung out some as teenagers, lived on the same side of town. Haven't talked to him in many years. Quite the character then and it appears he still is/was.
Posted by Joe The Plumber on Nov. 26 2008,3:53 pm
Liberal,Sad news,very sad.
Is his mother still alive and living here in Albert Lea?
I remember Kurt from karate.
I also remember the time Kurt had to use his karate skills for self-defense. Kurt was uptown on the corner of North Broadway and Clark street. I can't remember all the details, but some kid tried to attack Kurt and Kurt knocked this kid out and the kid hit his head on the curb.
I'm not sure if the kid died or lived?
( R.I.P.) Kurt , we will miss your smile.
Posted by Two Bears on Nov. 27 2008,12:45 pm
Sad news, sounds like he did a lot of things and had a blast doing it.I remember him too he was a year ahead of me in school.
I believe that he was in a Chuck Norris movie once.
And I too remember a time when he got jumped over in Austin by a big dude, wasn't good for Kurt.
Posted by bianca on Nov. 28 2008,9:28 am
Kurt will be sorely missed by so many people, including myself. He was definitely one in a million to anyone who knew him. Always someone you enjoyed seeing as soon as you walked into the room. Anyone who knew Kurt has so many funny stories to tell, and I chuckle each time I think of them. Great, great times.I got the priviledge to see and talk to him for the last time last summer while he was home for our reunion. I'm glad for that last hug. He always made these fantastic videos that everyone loved to see from the reunions past. He had done this since our first reunion, and was always greatly anticipated and appreciated.
Kurt was always someone that reminded you that there are people that live their lives by what they truly enjoy doing. And his stories were always fun, but he never bragged about his success. Each time he would see you, he'd always ask about you and how your family was doing and truly be interested.
As you can see in those pictures.....that was Kurt. He never got married but the girls/women sure liked him.
Kurt went from this relatively prudish guy in highschool
(the most fun I ever had dating, and definitely my first love. Kurt set the mold for any future beaus for myself. Although, no one has ever lived up to how much fun/funny Kurt was
)and then him turning into this "playboy", through the years makes me giggle like that 15-16 year old girl. My younger brother, Dodd, said it best when he said, "it's amazing what winning a couple of emmies will do for a mans' self-esteem." Who couldn't be smitten? Eyes that twinkled and a mischievious smile that matched the personality. Always, always smiling and/or laughing.
I only hope he realized how truly loved and adored he was and by soo many.
Rest in Peace, Doll, you will be missed. But your memory and all the great memories we all have of you will live on forever.
Thanks for that.My heart goes out to Gloria,you're in my thoughts. His brother, his dad, and all of his great friends from past and present.
Posted by minnow on Nov. 28 2008,10:56 am
That's very touching Bianca. Can you shed some light on who this fella was and what he did?
Posted by bianca on Nov. 28 2008,1:05 pm
This is from Kurts' My Space page: But the link that Chad posted is a great tribute to Kurt and has lots of very neat things.QUOTE
"A body in motion tends to stay in motion ... "
Kurt's Interests
General Motorcycles, movies, travel, friends.
Music I can appreciate most music but I probably lean towards U2, The Beatles, Dwight Yoakam, George Strait, STP, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, John Williams, Elvis, Glenn Miller, Mozart, Van Halen,
Movies A variety of good movies. Cinema Paradiso, Casablanca, Forrest Gump, The Man Who Shoot Liberty Valance, Fargo, The Lord of the Ring Trilogy, Jaws, Casino Royale, Enter the Dragon, Empire Strikes Back, Schintler's List, JFK, Platoon, Dr. Stranglelove, Paths of Glory, It's a Wonderful Life, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,
Television I work in TV but seldom watch it. The one show I've been addicted to for several years is The Simpsons. It's amazing that after this many years The Simpsons can still be fresh and be more real then most live action shows.
Books Poland, Shogan, Da Vinci Code, Lord of the Ring trilogy, Playboy...wait, that's not a book.
Heroes Captian Kirk, Indiana Jones, James Bond...Ok they are all fictional charactors but why not I work in TV. I was a Bruce Lee Fan growing up. I think Bono is a pretty cool guy especially with all the work he's been doing in Africa.
About me:
I've found my niche professionally and love my job. Through my job I've met a lot of interesting people and seen some interesting and crazy things. Work is Play. Sometimes my job intersects with my hobbies and interests. I tend to bring a video camera with me on my personal travels and I've had the opportunity to shoot video or film in Norway, Poland, Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, Mexico, Canada, Peru, Ecuador, Spain, Switzerland, Morocco and the Galapagos Islands. My last trip took me to Argentina, Antarctica and Brazil. I usually end up produce a short documentaries from my trips that air on local TV and occasionally a client will license some of my footage for a network show. It's always nice to see your stuff on one of the Networks. I've ridden motorcycles for most of my life. I currently ride a 2003 Harley Superglide. Recently I've been doing weekend trips with friends. I've studied Japanese Karate and Jujitsu for over 20 years but haven't been active in the past couple of years. Sad to see that part of my life has slipped into obsurity but there is only so much time in the day. I also chase storms and shoot footage of severe weather. I've seen some beautiful and distuctive storms. I studied film in college and always thought I'd direct feature films but it seems like TV has diverted me from that path. I still love to see a great film though and one of these days I'll make my feature.
Who I'd like to meet:
Fun, outgoing people.
Kurt's Interests
General Motorcycles, movies, travel, friends.
Music I can appreciate most music but I probably lean towards U2, The Beatles, Dwight Yoakam, George Strait, STP, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, John Williams, Elvis, Glenn Miller, Mozart, Van Halen,
Movies A variety of good movies. Cinema Paradiso, Casablanca, Forrest Gump, The Man Who Shoot Liberty Valance, Fargo, The Lord of the Ring Trilogy, Jaws, Casino Royale, Enter the Dragon, Empire Strikes Back, Schintler's List, JFK, Platoon, Dr. Stranglelove, Paths of Glory, It's a Wonderful Life, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,
Television I work in TV but seldom watch it. The one show I've been addicted to for several years is The Simpsons. It's amazing that after this many years The Simpsons can still be fresh and be more real then most live action shows.
Books Poland, Shogan, Da Vinci Code, Lord of the Ring trilogy, Playboy...wait, that's not a book.
Heroes Captian Kirk, Indiana Jones, James Bond...Ok they are all fictional charactors but why not I work in TV. I was a Bruce Lee Fan growing up. I think Bono is a pretty cool guy especially with all the work he's been doing in Africa.
About me:
I've found my niche professionally and love my job. Through my job I've met a lot of interesting people and seen some interesting and crazy things. Work is Play. Sometimes my job intersects with my hobbies and interests. I tend to bring a video camera with me on my personal travels and I've had the opportunity to shoot video or film in Norway, Poland, Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, Mexico, Canada, Peru, Ecuador, Spain, Switzerland, Morocco and the Galapagos Islands. My last trip took me to Argentina, Antarctica and Brazil. I usually end up produce a short documentaries from my trips that air on local TV and occasionally a client will license some of my footage for a network show. It's always nice to see your stuff on one of the Networks. I've ridden motorcycles for most of my life. I currently ride a 2003 Harley Superglide. Recently I've been doing weekend trips with friends. I've studied Japanese Karate and Jujitsu for over 20 years but haven't been active in the past couple of years. Sad to see that part of my life has slipped into obsurity but there is only so much time in the day. I also chase storms and shoot footage of severe weather. I've seen some beautiful and distuctive storms. I studied film in college and always thought I'd direct feature films but it seems like TV has diverted me from that path. I still love to see a great film though and one of these days I'll make my feature.
Who I'd like to meet:
Fun, outgoing people.
Posted by bcam2223 on Nov. 28 2008,2:02 pm
Who was Kurt Ugland? I feel sorry for anyone who has to ask that question.I first met Kurt when I was twelve when he took me under his wing into his dojo. I had recently lost my father and I can honestly say though he was only four years my senior, he kinda filled that gap in my life. Firm and demanding in the training, Kurt expected the best you could give and knew how to pull it out if you waivered. He instinctively knew when you needed a pat on the back or a smack upside the head. I'm a better person for being on both sides of those adjustments! Whether I knew it or not, his take on life based on the martial arts has guided me through my life. It was a sad day when he left for college and I had to take over the dojo.
Outside the dojo he refused to be called Sensei. He was just another one of the guys even though his light was the brightest in the group. His smile coming through any door lifted spirits like no other I have known. He cared about and for everyone he met, including that guy on Broadway. I remember him being worried sick for days about him not even caring if he got in trouble.
Kurt LIVED life. From somersaulting off school rooftops into snowbanks to perfecting off the wall backflips he was always looking for the next best thing to do or experience. I'll never forget his first dirt bike and those goofy goggles he wore screaming around town! I won't even mention his most enjoyable ride ( to you old schoolers...I think I still have those pictures) He loved to have fun and didn't really care how silly he looked doing it. It was all part of the adventure to him.
Nobody can say he wasn't successful in life either! From the start he loved movies and wanted to be a director. Once he drove to Texas for a small part in Chuck Norris's movie Lone Wolf McQuade. It paid just enough to get him there and back but was a highlight in his life at that time.
One Christmas, on one of his trips back to Albert Lea, he called and though I was extremely sick, we found ourselves on the hills of Goose Lake shooting footage for a movie he was planning. Kurt needed a winter fight scene for Samurai Zombies, his pet project for which some of the footage won him one of his many awards.
Goodbye Kurt. I'll see you again. Until then I will miss your quirky sense of humour, your eagerly anticiptated trips back home, but most of all.......I will miss my friend.
Posted by Eddie Cochran's Ghost on Nov. 28 2008,5:20 pm
Wow. Thanks for that Chad, this is pretty sad. I haven't seen Kurt in years but everytime Lone Wolf McQuade came on TV it always reminded me of him. I remember him telling me one day at a party that he was leaving for Texas to be in some Chuck Norris movie with the guy from Kung Fu. I saw him again at another outdoor party shortly after he returned and asked him what his role was. He laughed and said it was no big deal.... he told me that he ended up playing a dead guy that was laying in the desert or something like that.
RIP Kurt
Posted by Liberal on Nov. 28 2008,10:02 pm
QUOTE
Kurt Ugland
Ugland, Kurt Douglas Age 45, of Dallas died November 23, 2008. Ted Dickey West Funeral Home 972-407-6070.
Published in the Dallas Morning News on 11/27/2008
< http://www.legacy.com/DALLASM....0694562 >
Posted by bianca on Nov. 29 2008,9:23 pm
[QUOTE]Kurt Ugland, Texas Kurt Ugland was born June 16, 1963, in Albert Lea, to Marlin and Gloria (Seberson) Ugland. After graduating from high school, Kurt attended Austin Community College, Mankato State University and The University of North Texas where he graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in radio, television and film.
Kurt started as a volunteer for the city of Plano’s Television Network (PTN). His professionalism and skills were quickly recognized and he was hired full time and quickly rose to become the executive producer of PTN. Under his leadership, PTN received over 300 national and regional awards for programming excellence, including four Emmy awards. Kurt loved video production and film work and included it as an integral part of his personal life.
Kurt was an avid adventurist, traveling the world and sharing his travel experiences with his large group of friends. Whether capturing the beauty of distant lands or storm chasing though Tornado Alley, Kurt always had a camera with him. His productions would captivate audiences with his creativity and humor.
Kurt was an accomplished martial artist holding several different high level black belts in multiple Japanese styles. Early in his life he owned and ran his own Karate Dojo (school), the Albert Lea Karate Club.
Whether motorcycling, scuba diving, parachuting, bungee jumping or hanging out of a helicopter with a camera, Kurt was always up for the challenge. It was a river rafting accident in Honduras on Nov. 23, 2008, that took Kurt from the many who loved him.
Kurt was preceeded in death by his grandparents Ruben and Mildred Seberson, Nels and Clara Ugland, uncles Lowell Seberson, Norman and Leslie Ugland and cousin Scott Seberson.
He is survived by his mother, Gloria Ugland, and father and stepmother Marlin and Myrth Ugland, all of Albert Lea; and a brother and sister-in-law, Mitchell and Alaina Ugland of Plano, Texas. He is also survived by nieces Callandra Sherden, Kate Ugland and Caroline Ugland; nephew William Ugland; and great-nephew and niece Deion and Dreya Sherden. He is survived by uncles and aunts, Larry Seberson, Joan Seberson, Donna and Gene Novak, Karen and Roger Findlayson and many cousins.
Endeared by so many, Kurt was always willing to help a friend, he touched and captivated anyone who knew him. He left behind many friends all over the world. Our lives are richer because of him. Our world is a better place because of him. His spirit will live on with the legacy he left for all of us: “Live each day to the fullest, love your friends and family, and above all enjoy life.”
We will celebrate Kurt’s life with a memorial service on Monday at 2 pm. Visitation will start one hour prior to the service and a brief reception will follow the service. The service will be held at Ted Dickey West Funeral Home, 8011 Frankford Road, Dallas, Texas.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be given to family who are working with the City of Plano to establish a fund in Kurt’s name. This fund will be used for video production internships and education purposes that were significant to Kurt.
Memorial service and iInternment will be held in Minnesota at a later date to be determined.
Posted by bianca on Dec. 15 2008,8:18 pm
FYI-Kurt Ugland's memorial service is this Saturday, December 20 at 11:00 am at Bayview funeral home. 1415 N. Hwy 13