Casper E. Curtis
1914 – 2009
RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — Casper E. Curtis, 95, of Jupiter, Fla., died Monday, Oct. 5, at Kindred Hospital.
He was born in Norway, Feb. 26, 1914, one of five children born to Phineas and Ruth Kneeland Curtis. He married Dorothy A. Durgin on Oct. 19, 1934. She passed away on Oct. 24, 1994.
He was a major in the U.S. Army during World War II, serving with the 101st Division of the 509th infantry regiment. A book “Stand in the Door,” which chronicles the 509th, was written by Charles H. Doyle and Terrell Stewart, forward by Gen. Mark W. Clark.
He and his wife lived in Norway, where they raised three sons. He worked at Cornwall’s Wood Products. They moved to Hartford, Conn., where he worked for Pratt-Whitney for many years in the quality control department. He and his wife were long-time members of the South Congregational Church in East Hartford, Conn., where he enjoyed ushering, committee work and special events such as the Soup and Sharing Lenten program.
Later in life, after his wife died, he moved to Florida, with his son, Stanley and his wife, Elaine. He always traveled to Maine for the Curtis-Durgin family reunions.
He is remembered as a kind and caring man, always willing to help someone in need. He enjoyed playing chess, golf, reading and crossword puzzles. He loved to tinker with carpentry, making bird houses in his garage.
He is survived by a daughter-in-law, Elaine Curtis of Jupiter, Fla.; grandson, Charles Curtis and his wife Jackie; grandson, Phillip Curtis and his wife, Michelle, with a great-grandchild on the way; Karen Curtis and Elaine’s mother, Dorothy Dick, who helped to care for Casper; daughter-in-law, Terry Curtis; grandson, Eddie Curtis and his wife, Kathy and their children, Kaitlin and Kyle; granddaughter, Barbara Billon and her husband, Travis and their children, Hannah Hickox, Cory Hickox and his wife, Elizabeth and their son, Aiden and Maggie Hickox; grandson, David Curtis and his wife, Denise and their daughter, Alexandra and granddaughter, Patricia Suttle and her daughter Jamie Suttle; relatives who reside in Maine include a niece, Rosalie Williams of Pittsfield; a brother-in-law and wife, Hugh and Marianne Durgin of Norway and their children, Hugh, Dennis, Keith, Anita and Ruth; and a sister-and-law, Rita Allen, resides in Cincinnati, Ohio.
He was predeceased by his three sons, Stanley, Carl and Jack.