HAVRE, Mont. – Emma Louise Curtis, 85, of Havre, Mont., passed away in her home the morning of June 23, 2025 due to cancer.

Emma Louise Kelley was born to Henry and Madeleine Kelley, March 31, 1940 in Mechanic Falls, Maine just minutes before April Fool’s Day. (She often liked to point out that quirky detail.) She was the third of six sisters. She spent her childhood in Mechanic Falls and met the love of her life, Gregory Curtis, early on in school and fell for him long before marriage age. Both of their lives took twists and turns before coming back together and marrying Dec. 23, 1961.

Emma was a military wife, as Greg served in the United States Air Force, and she worked several jobs, such as cleaning and administrative work, throughout her adult life as well as pursuing college during those years. She never expected to have children and was overjoyed with her first son, Edroy Barnett Curtis II aka “Curt” in 1963. Early into Curt’s life, Emma was radically transformed by the forgiveness of Jesus Christ, and her whole life changed. God brought healing and restoration to her heart, her young son’s body, and then her husband’s life as well, as Greg came to faith, in time, after Emma.

Emma focused much of her volunteer time in church and with music to share the love of Jesus while supporting her husband’s work and raising her son. She joyously welcomed another son, five years after Curt, and his name was Gregory Dean Curtis Jr. or “Dean.” The four of them travelled and lived all over with the Air Force, so Emma lived in two foreign countries, and six U.S. states during her lifetime.

Her greatest passions were: Christ, her family, music, and education. She was continually learning and gaining new skills. She played the guitar and piano for many years and liked to yodel here and there. She taught herself the bass guitar and even played in church praise teams up until her last couple of years. She recorded two of her own CDs, and pursued her pastoral ordination, achieving that goal with the Assemblies of God Church in 2013 at the age of 73. She loved teaching and preaching, and ministering to the “old folks” at several different care centers and assisted living facilities in places where she lived.

Emma always lit up a room, wherever she went. Whether through her smile and warm, open friendliness towards people, or her striking classy clothes and meticulously arranged pure white hair, she’d catch people’s eye and steal their hearts. She gave of herself every single day and cared deeply for those around her, like her precious Savior would.

Emma was preceded in death by her parents Henry and Madeline; and three of her sisters.

She is survived by her beloved husband, Greg; sons Curt (and Susan) and Dean (and Jeanette); sisters Jacquelyn and Patricia; six grandchildren; and 10 (soon 11) great-grandchildren.

She will be dearly missed by all her family and the wide and vast network of friends she wove during her days on earth.