Brice Warner "Joe" Curtis

Brice Warner "Joe" Curtis, born August 24, 1926 in McCaskill, AR, passed away June 17, 2016 in Jena LA. He was a faithful loving husband, Daddy, Granddaddy, and G-Daddy. He was a solid rock-of-a-man who could always be depended on to "fix" things for his family and friends. You could count on him to "tell you like it is" whether that is what you wanted to hear or not. Whenever he met you, his smile and solid, firm, handshake made you feel that you were the most important person in the world to him. He was known and loved by many people and it seemed he could find someone he knew wherever he went.

Joe was the twelfth child of Robert Fulton Curtis and Esther Magnolia "Nolie" Box Curtis. He was preceded in death by the love of his life for 63 years, Thalia Rhodes Curtis, his parents, Fulton and Nolie Curtis, brothers, Dick Curtis, Woodrow Curtis, John Curtis, Quinton Curtis, and Roy Curtis, sisters, Bessie Curtis Head, Olice Curtis Stroud, Jettie Curtis, Fern Curtis Reid, Letha Curtis Morris, and Betty Curtis Knight.

He is survived by his two daughters, Alicia Curtis Gillaspie and her husband , Norman, Shelia Curtis Burns, four grandchildren Ryan Neal, Brandi Neal, Alison Kerr and her husband, John, and Andrea Gillaspie, seven great-grandchildren, Kaylee Neal, Paige Neal, Breana Neal, Austin Lane, Jordan Vines, Danica Neal and Camryn Ross, one great-great grandchild, Kayden Neal, two sisters, Claudia Curtis Fogle of Shrewsbury MD and Willa Dean Curtis Hall of Bryant AR, as well as, numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

Joe was a lover of God and his country. He had a strong sense of right and wrong. He served his country as a member of the US Army from 1945-1947 in Tokyo Japan. He also served as a protector of his community for 20 years as a police officer on the El Dorado Police Department, and 10 years as a Union County Deputy Sheriff. He spent many years as a Union County Basketball referee, and an Umpire for American Legion Baseball. During his retirement years he enjoyed traveling with Thalia, fishing and hunting, watching and supporting ALL Razorback sports and spending time with his family which he did right up until his heart stopped beating on Friday, June 17, 2016.

Joe accepted Christ as his savior in September of 1944 at Pleasant Springs Baptist Church in McCaskill, AR and was baptized at Bradford's Camp in the Little Missouri River. He was a member of Marrable Hill Chapel in El Dorado, AR and enjoyed attending services there and at Victory Bible Camp. He was a great lover of good Southern Gospel music. He had a rich deep bass voice and sang with his brothers and sisters in a family quartet. In his early twenties he sang with The Friendship Quartet from McCaskill AR and sang at many Sunday singings followed by dinner on the ground.

Being raised in a family of fourteen kids during the depression years helped develop his strong work ethic, his sense of determination, his selfless dedication to family and a undeterred will to persevere through the tough times. He was a giant-of-a- man and had a formidable presence about him. He was our solid rock and was tough as steel with a tender heart toward his family. He was greatly admired and loved by so many and leaves a huge hole in the hearts all of us who knew him.

Visitation will be held from 6:00-8:00 on Monday, June 20, 2016 at Young's.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 am Tuesday, June 21, 2016 at Marrable Hill Chapel with Ben Wasson officiating. Graveside service will be held at 3:00 pm at Friendship Methodist Cemetery in McCaskill, AR under the direction of Young's Funeral Directors.

Memorials may be made to Marrable Hill Chapel, 100 Chapel Ave., El Dorado, AR 71730.

An online registry will be available at www.youngsfuneralhome.com