Curtis Marchbanks

Curtis Marchbanks, 87, died Sunday, Dec. 7, 2014. Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in Memorial Park Funeral Home Pioneer Chapel with Pastor Jerry Davey officiating. Inurnment will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Arrangements are by Memorial Park Funeral Home, 6969 E. Interstate 40.

Curtis Marchbanks was born March 7, 1927, in Wellington to Amos and Edith Marchbanks. He was the oldest of four sons. Curtis was a big hearted, strong-willed, hard-working man whose love for family was only shadowed by his love for music. In the 1950s, 1960s, and mid-1970s Curtis played with many country music bands even having his sons, Larry and Dwight, join him. Together they formed Kurtis and the Kountry Kut-ups and played nights and weekends in clubs throughout the Texas Panhandle area. He married Eugene “Gene” Miller from Wellington in 1945. In 1952 they moved to Amarillo, where he lived the remainder of his life. Curtis re-married in 1969 to Billie Ann, his wife of 44 years. In the early 1970s r they established Curtis Sales Co. Inc., a pick-up accessory company using their home garage for a warehouse. The company grew and in 1988 Curtis and Billie Ann retired turning the company over to his son, Dwight Marchbanks. Curtis will be missed by all that knew him and loved forever by his family. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Billie Ann; two daughters, Linda and Melinda; a son, Larry; and a brother Cleve. Survivors include a brother, Leonard Marchbanks and wife Arlene of Amarillo; a son, Curtis Dwight Marchbanks and wife Connie of Amarillo; a daughter, Karan Rater of Mesquite; six grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.