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Wurl busy balancing life in Quincy
JoAnne Fowler/Post-Register
Michele Wurl loves living in Quincy.
Born and raised in central Illinois, Michele Wurl comes to Quincy by way of Seattle, and husband, Todd Wurl. Married in April 1999 amid the twisters of her Tornado Alley hometown, Wurl is excited to plan a memorable trip for her 10th anniversary.
“Todd really loves anything Disney,” she mentioned of her husband.
Wurl attended the University of Kansas and earned her degree in psychology. She headed west to Seattle and worked for the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center from 1995 through 2006.
“I worked at a community health center in college,” she explained, “and as a grants manager, my experience led me to the job at Fred Hutch.”
It was her experience there and the realization that her college degree might not coincide with her plans of a future family that led her to work in a field other than her degree. A self-described huge sports fan, she appreciates the flexibility that working in public relations affords her. She is also grateful for the help of her Gig Harbor uncle and close-knit family for supporting her in her move west after college.
Wurl met her husband at a Super Bowl party in 1997 in Kirkland. The two were seated near one another and she thought that her friends knew Todd. Their conversations that night led to their first date at a Star Wars movie and they married two years later.
“We dodged tornados through the entire event,” she said of the wedding in Illinois.
The two have son, Tyler, who is 6 and daughter, Emily, who will turn 4 on Sunday.
Todd Wurl, a Quincy native, attended Eastern Washington State University. He is a sales manager for Cave B Winery.
When the two left big city life in Seattle for the more rural tranquility of Quincy, they did so for their children.
“Todd owned two Quiznos and we sold them to get out of the city once we had children,” said Wurl.
By then, she had Tyler and Emily and went from working a three-day workweek to being a stay-at-home mom. The move to Quincy became a reality when her husband hired on at the Gorge Amphitheatre. Two years later and settled into a spacious home, Wurl is back to work in marketing and public relations for Quincy Valley Medical Center and as the executive director of the Quincy Hospital Foundation.
“When Todd changed jobs, it allowed me to go back to work, because he had a somewhat regular schedule,” Wurl said.
To ease back into the work world, Wurl first began working for The Grape, Quincy’s local wine cellar. As a special events coordinator, store marketer and bookkeeper, Wurl maintained the flexibility she enjoys and needs as the mother of two young children. Now that she works for the hospital four days a week, she is able to work at The Grape as needed and still make it to her children’s special events.
“Quincy is such a beautiful area,” said Wurl.
As one of her hobbies, she decorated her new home with photographs of local scenery.
“All the artwork in my house has meaning behind it,” she shared.
She makes prints of favorite scenes and sells the images on cards in local shops. Other hobbies include working in her yard and enjoying wine.
“I’m a wine lover and that’s one of the fun things about working at The Grape.”
Her other passion is NCAA basketball, especially March Madness.
“I was doing my NCAA picks while I was in labor with Tyler,” she said with a laugh.
“I love it here and having kids has definitely changed our perspective on where to live,” said Wurl.
Even her parents who live in Southern California are envious.
“My parents grew up in really small towns and hearing about the neighbors, the trains and our view of the mountains makes them remember their childhoods,” Wurl said.
As public relations director for the hospital, Wurl’s first big project is the Red, Wine, and Blues fund-raiser at Parties on the Green. To be held July 19, the festival will raise money for the hospital.
Most of the event relies on donations from local businesses. The Grape will pay for this year’s entertainment: Becki Sue and Her Big Rockin’ Daddies, a well-known Northwest blues band. DPR will donate for the band’s hotel accommodations. The Gorge is donating chairs and tables and four wineries will participate: Jones of Washington, White Heron Cellars, Cave B and Saint Laurent. Michael’s on the Lake from Moses Lake will cater the dinner and serve steak and salmon, vegetables, salad and bread.
“We hope to have 150 people attend the event,” said Wurl.
Tickets cost $45 per person before July 11 and $55 from then to the night of the event. Tickets are on sale now at The Grape, The Quincy Valley Chamber, and at the hospital. Contact Wurl at the hospital for more information.
Wurl also finds time in her schedule to volunteer at her son’s school on the PVC and as an FCAD committee member.
“We are working on getting the FCAD sign repainted,” she said.
“Kim Bacon has agreed to donate her services.”
The Wurls attend the Quincy Free Methodist Church.
Sue Williams commented, on June 26, 2008 at 6:20 p.m.:
How very nice to read your article on my wonderful niece! Her father (my brother) forwarded the article to our attention back here in rural central Illinois and we enjoyed learning more about Michele's new job. The special event coming up sounds wonderful! We, too, love visiting the wineries, and wish we could be there for this event. I am sure it will be a great success! Good luck with this and your future endeavors!
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