Larry W Curtis

Larry W. Curtis, 87, formerly of Lake Washington, passed away after a long illness on November 11, 2007 at the Veteran's Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona.

Memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, July 18, 2008 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Marysburg, rural Madison Lake with Rev. Edwin Savundra officiating. Burial with military honors will be in Ft. Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis. Visitation with the family will be held one hour before service at church on Friday. Mankato Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Larry was born September 10, 1920 in Sioux City, IA, the only child of Lawrence "Corky" and Yvonne (Waiter) Curtis. After graduating from East High School in Sioux City, he attended the School of Mortuary Science in St. Louis, MO, where he received his license to become an embalmer and funeral director. He returned to Sioux City where he worked for Larkin Funeral Home until he enlisted in the Army Corps in 1942. He was deployed for three years and 10 months to England. He had 30 bombing missions over Germany. He proudly served his country. He was honorably discharged in 1945 and resumed working for Larkin Funeral Home. On May 4, 1946 he married his sweetheart, Nan Shallbetter. In 1950, he left the funeral business to become co-owner of Curtis and Carey Ford Motor Sales in Olivia. In 1955, he was employed by Wausau Insurance Company as a commercial insurance rep in the Minneapolis office. Two years later, he moved his family to Mankato. He continued working for Wausau until he retired in 1983. After retiring, Larry and Nan began spending winters in Arizona. They made Sun Lakes their permanent home October 22. Larry was a lifetime member of the 388th Bomb Group Association as well as the VFW Post 8053 in Sun Lakes, AZ, the American Legion Post 1982 of St. Paul, and the Eighth Air Force Historical Society Inc. of St. Paul and the B.P.O. Elks 225 in Mankato. He served as Exalted Ruler twice and for one year as District Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler for the South District of Minnesota. Larry and Nan were also member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Marysburg.

Larry is survived by his wife, Nan of Sun Lakes, Arizona; three daughters, Mary Kay (Mike) Joseph of Aurora, CO, Candy (Ken) Jenson of Lake Washington, Voni (Steve) Distad of Racine, MN; three sons, Tony (Kim) Curtis of Eureka, CA, Guy (Linda) Curtis of Mankato, Scott Curtis of Savanaugh, GA; thirteen grandchildren; six great-grandchildren.

Larry was preceded in death by his parents and daughter-in-law, Tessa Curtis.