Ursula Christel Inge Steinert Wentworth, February 29, 1932 to July 11, 2023

Ursula, 91, passed away peacefully July 11, 2023 in Leesburg, VA.

Ursula was born in Rostock, Germany on February 29th 1932—a leap year baby! She grew up in the beautiful seaside town of Dierhagen on the Baltic Sea. She had an adventurous childhood running in the sand by the ocean, meeting tourists, climbing trees in the forests nearby, picking blueberries, and watching her mother cook for guests visiting their bed and breakfast. She had 3 little brothers and two loving parents. She also had a cousin, Giesela, who was one of her best friends in her life!  They played together as children and never lost touch—talking to each other monthly!

After the war, East Germany became Communist and Ursula longed to go to the West.  She escaped from East Germany twice—once for fun—to see if she could.  During this time she visited an Aunt and Uncle in West Germany.  She came back in a few days because she felt she had to go back to her job—she was in her early 20's.  She realized she wanted to escape for good so she planned carefully for 6 months and let her mother know of her plans in advance.  She escaped with friends at the train station in Berlin.  They were almost caught as they had to show their papers to train guards—but there was a scuffle in another area of the train which made the guards leave them and run in another direction; Ursula and friends quickly ran out of the train and exited into West Berlin to safety!

Once in the West, she lived in Stuttgart for many years with wonderful friends and had various jobs—where she was always noted as a hard worker, very dependable and friendly!

Ursula met and married Warren James Wentworth on October 4, 1961 in Stuttgart. He was a soldier in the US Army. They had one son, Mark, born in 1965.

Ursula and James lived in Germany and the US (back and forth) for several years before finally settling down in Copperas Cove, Texas when Mark was in 5th grade.  Ursula was a cafeteria cook in the public schools in Copperas Cove for many years.  She had many friends in Texas including her long time best friend Brigitte Jackson. Cove was a great place for her because there were many German women with military spouses.  She had many people to speak German with! Copperas Cove was their home for many decades until James passed away in 2006 and Ursula moved to Leesburg, Virginia in 2020 to be near her son and daughter-in-law.  Ursula was a devoted Omi (grandmother) to Miles and Sydney through the years—one special thing she always did for them was make banana milkshakes and they got to help make them with the hand blender!

In Leesburg, she lived for 2 years in Spring Arbor Assisted Living and made many new friends there.  She always participated in all the activities!  She eventually moved to Heritage Hall nursing home for more care in April 2023 where she again made many new friends!

Ursula was loved by so many people—she was always so giving to friends, family and even strangers.  She was a very self-less person and lived an exemplary life!  She also loved her longtime dog, Charlie, whom she spoiled every day! And she loved her grand dog Dany too and got to know him well when she lived with her son in 2020.

She will be greatly missed by all who knew her!

Ursula is survived by her son, Mark Wentworth and wife Elizabeth of Leesburg, granddaughter Sydney Wentworth of New York City, and grandson Miles Wentworth and fiancee Nassrin Bakhshi of Los Angeles. She is also survived by many cousins, nieces and nephews in Germany and many sister and brother in laws and nieces & nephews in America.

Ursula will be interred in Texas this November in a private ceremony.