Arlene Ann Curtis

To anyone who knew her, Arlene Curtis was a woman of great strength and grace. She was authentic and generous, compassionate and loyal, and she had a flare for life that was uncommon. Arlene was born Arlene Ann Schmahl on October 7, 1942 in Lincoln Nebraska. She was the first child to be born to Peter and Ruth Schmahl and was soon followed by two younger brothers Pete and Mike. She and her family moved to Denver Colorado and throughout her humble childhood she never wanted for love and friendship as she was surrounded by family and friends. She met and married Ellis Prach and started a family at the young age of 17 with the birth of her first son Dana who was quickly followed by Keith less than a year later. Carmen (her only daughter) was only a few years behind then Wayne would join them as the baby of the family. Those early years of motherhood proved to be difficult, but Arlene showed a great depth of character as she navigated the challenges with grace, remaining fiercely devoted to her children. They were then and would remain the joy and blessing of her life. From her they would learn courage and strength and the importance of a strong moral compass. With her powerful strength of character, Arlene set a new course for herself and began life as single mom when she began a career with the Arapahoe County Assessor’s Office where she would continue working until her retirement some 20 years later. Along the way she attracted many friends and a handful of loves. She left a lasting impression on everyone she met and was extremely loved by those who knew her best. She had a large capacity to show forgiveness and her no-nonsense approach to life allowed her to remain a light to those around her. She met and married Dave Curtis in the early 1990’s and once again undertook the role of nurturer as she became wife and mother to a young family. She loved the ranch life, living outside Sedalia Colorado and would shape the old pioneer house into a home. Again, her influence could be felt near and far as she was adopted into this new community and she would stand out as a lovable and happy matriarch especially to the new sons she would help to raise Charlie and Chad. Arlene loved to travel and loved spending time with family and friends. Taos, New Mexico was one of her favorite places to visit and she loved to explore the surrounding communities and learn about the lives of the humble residents. She loved good food, good music and was a huge fan of a good margarita. She was stylish, would dress to the nines and had a flare for makeup and jewelry. She never met a stranger and would instantly make others feel important as she showed genuine interest in them. She would fill a room with her light. Her life was not without difficulty and pain, and the loss of her son Keith left a hole in her heart that she could never quite fill. She was blessed with a large posterity and with each new grand and great-grandchild, she found new joys in her life. She loved them deeply and each of them cherish special memories of her and carry the knowledge that her influence remains lasting in their lives. When she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, she faced this new challenge with the same dignity and grace she was known for and maintained a positivity that left others in awe. She continued to glean every ounce of living and joy out of life as she navigated the realities of cancer and never allowed it to lessen her happiness. She lived life! And by the light of her life, the warmth of her influence will be felt for generations to come.