Earl Max Curtis passed away at home peacefully surrounded by family Friday, August 10, 2018, due to complications from dementia. Dementia carries with it two deaths, first when the one you love slowly cannot remember their love ones, and second when they pass away.
Born on May 26, 1936, in Clear Creek, UT, the second of identical twin sons of Max Joseph and Vesta Isabella (Pettersson) Curtis. Earl graduated from Carbon High School in Price, UT and married his childhood sweetheart Betti Lea Clark on May 17, 1958, in the Manti LDS Temple. Earl was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Earl started his career with the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad (D&RG) right out of High School. Earl put off getting married until he passed his electrical test for a journeyman signalman. He worked 42 years and loved the railroad; however, he was never allowed to blow the train whistle. The D&RG ran between Salt Lake City, Utah and Denver, Colorado. His career took him to several exotic destinations such as Gypson, Leadville, Tennessee Pass, Denver and Grand Junction CO; and Thompson, North Salt Lake, Midvale, Helper, Price, and Salt Lake City, UT. He started at the D&RG which was bought out by the Southern Pacific Railroad and right before retirement, the Southern Pacific was bought out by the Union Pacific. He loved the D&RG because it was like family but it was never the same after it was bought out by other railroads. At retirement, he was the Signal Supervisor of the Utah Division. His work included the establishment of the central traffic control where all the D&RG railroad traffic was controlled and monitored from Denver. He helped run wire the Moffat Tunnel.
After retirement from the railroad, he worked at Brashers Auto Auction at first driving cars and then later security. He never met a stranger, was a friend to all and had the gift of gab. He enjoyed being with family. Earl’s first love was Betti but when the grandkids started coming his kids and his wife had to take a backseat. He loved his grandkids and gave the best hugs and kisses. We are all better off having had him in our lives.
Earl is survived by Betti Lea (Clark) Curtis of West Valley, Tain (LaNan) Curtis of Wellington, Kelli (Gary) Curtis of Orangeville and Darrell (DR) (Janene) Curtis of West Valley, they have ten grandchildren, and 15.5 great grandchildren his twin brother Verl (Joyce) Curtis of Grand Junction, CO; Karen Ann (Tony) Angotti of Costa Mesa, CA; Wilma Atwood of Wellington, UT; and Nicholas Curtis of Salt Lake City. He is proceeded in death by his parents (see above) brothers Marvin, Bill, and Leon Curtis, nieces Diana, Kathy, and Melissa.
Special thanks to Leilani and the staff at Visiting Angels, and Stacy and the staff at Hospice for their tender and loving care of our father over these past few months.
Funeral Services are held Wednesday, August 15, 2018, at 11:00 a.m. at the Jordan 6th Ward Chapel (3650 West 4400 South), in West Valley City, UT. There is a viewing Tuesday, August 14th at the Valley View Memorial (4335 West 4100 South), West Valley from 6:00 to 8:00 pm and one hour prior to services. Interment will be in the Price City Cemetery (595 East 400 North), on Thursday, August 16, 2018, at 11:00 a.m. “Old railroaders never die…they just run out of steam!”
