Patricia Ann Curtis

Patricia Ann Curtis was born in Marshall, TX on June 24, 1949, the eldest child of John E. Mosley and Pearline Cook Mosely. She often spoke of her childhood fondly, reflecting on days spent with her grandmother, “Big Mama,” and fun times with her siblings and cousins. Growing up in East Texas offered a lot of serenity and peace, but Pat Mosley’s ambition would lead her to many great accomplishments throughout her life.

Pat attended elementary school through college in East Texas. She graduated from Pemberton High School in 1967. When asked about Pat as a school girl, the stories were conflicting. Faye (Pat’s sister) says that she was always very smart and graduated at the top of her class. But Bill (Pat’s husband) says that she was always worried about being viewed as a nerd, so she didn’t put full effort into her early studies. According to her report card from Pemberton, we’ll just say that Pat kept it balanced – maintaining A’s in the important classes and otherwise content with perfect attendance over good grades in the less important classes. She always knew how to prioritize!

After graduating from Pemberton, her next stop was East Texas Baptist University (ETBU). She graduated in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Education. After graduating from ETBU, she was off to the big city. At that time, according to Pat, everyone moved to either Dallas or Houston. Although she had lots of family in Houston, she chose Dallas. The decision to move to Dallas allowed her to meet and marry her beloved husband, Bill Curtis in June of 1975. The couple later had two daughters, LaKiesha (affectionately called Kiesha) and Kizuwanda (lovingly referred to as Kiwana). The two daughters became a part of a larger family that included Bill’s older children, Michael, Tina, and Levance.

Aside from being a tremendous wife and mother, Pat’s professional life also blossomed. During the early years, she worked a few odd jobs at Kroger and JCPenney. She also worked for the United States Postal Service for several years. Most people don’t know that Pat also worked for Dallas Independent School District for a whole…….six weeks! Yes, indeed, six whole weeks as a ninth-grade teacher! She said that’s all she could bear because teaching high school kids was not her calling. She then returned to school to obtain an Associate’s degree in Accounting from El Centro College in Dallas. Soon thereafter, she landed an accounting position with Trinity Industries that she absolutely loved. After retiring from Trinity in 2012, she shifted her focus to volunteerism and, later, her grandchildren.

Pat’s walk with the Lord began when she was a little girl, while attending church in East Texas, at Old Border and St. Mark. She recalled sitting on the mourner’s bench during a revival and being encouraged to get baptized. As the compliant child that she was, that’s exactly what she did. However, she didn’t truly understand and embrace her relationship with the Lord until she was much older. She spoke freely about the change that occurred in her life when she began walking with the Lord. She committed herself to helping others develop and grow in their relationship with Him as well. She attended and graduated from Southern Bible Institute in 2011. She also taught Sunday School at her church, Griggs Chapel, where she was a devoted member since 1980. She often said that God had given her the gift of teaching so that she could be a schoolteacher, but later she realized that her gift was for the Lord’s house, a responsibility that she did not take lightly. At church, she sang in the choir for years, she served on the New Member Orientation team, she was part of the Dance Ministry, and she participated in the Evangelism Street Ministry. She spent countless hours studying, reading and preparing to minister to other Believers and to the unsaved.

Another place that she found great fulfillment was in volunteering with Dallas CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), where she represented children who were in the foster system as they went through the court process. She adored the children that she served, and looked after these children as though they were family. The other favorite children in her life were her grandchildren. When her granddaughter, Kaleeah, was born, she said to Kiesha, “all of my friends have grandkids, and I was patiently waiting on mine.” When she leaned Isabella was on the way, she shrieked with pure joy and clapped her hands. Overall, Pat just loved time with the immediate and extended family. Pat looked forward to her reunions with both her family and Bill’s, and visiting family who lived out of town was something she loved. Whenever she’d travel to Houston, she’d stop at Aunt Baby Sister’s house; and when visiting Marshall, she made her rounds to see family members.

Now, Pat leaves an amazing legacy behind. Bill Curtis, her adoring husband, her daughters Kiesha Curtis-Baker and Kiwana Curtis-Iwu, and their husbands, Joshua Baker and Chase Iwu respectively are left to cherish her memory. Additionally, her granddaughters, Kaleeah Perkins-Baker, Isabella Iwu and Shavaan Edwards are all destined to make her proud. Her additional children, Michael Curtis (deceased), Tina Curtis and Levance Curtis, his wife Angela, and all of their children and grandchildren, are left to add to the lasting Curtis legacy. Pat is also survived by two remaining aunts, Mildred Henderson and Margaret Mosley; her sister, Johnnie Faye Mosley, and brother, John Purvis Mosley; two nieces, Felecia Faggett and Alexandria Mosley and one nephew, Chris Spillmon. Along with a host of cousins, great nieces and nephews, extended family, and church friends, she leaves her beautiful memory in the countless lives that she touched through service, work, volunteerism and evangelism. It would be her prayer that her life would be an inspiration to others, that her faith would be evidence of God’s undying love and His amazing grace, and that others would come to know and love Him intimately, just as she did.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.” Matthew 5:16

Rest well sweet Pat, until we meet again!