Kurtis was born in Pensacola, Florida, to Wilma Mary Horton (1911-2002) and William A. Kuretich (Croatian: Kuretić), of Croatian origin (1914-2001), a U.S. Marine Corps brigadier general and decorated veteran of World War II.
His sister is former Kansas state Senate Majority Whip Jean Schodorf, of Wichita, Kansas.