Catherine Curtis

Catherine Curtis of Toronto, Ontario passed away Thursday, August 4, 2016 at North York General Hospital with her son by her side. She was born May 10, 1927 to J.T. and Idella Williams in Winter Garden, Florida. Catherine was the second of three sisters; Corine (Deceased) and Emma Mae of New York.

Though Catherine was born during the depression in the “Jim Crow” south, she was blessed during her formative years to have very talented and dedicated teachers who revealed to her the joy of learning.

Catherine’s leadership potential was noted early as she represented her Winter Garden Church at the National Baptist Convention, and later in college where she was the president of her sorority, Zeta Phi Beta. She and her sister, Emma were determined that they would not remain in Winter Garden as many of their contemporaries did, but would attend university. This would later come to fruition as both would ultimately attend Florida A&M University and graduated in 1950 with Bachelor of Science Degrees.

While at Florida A&M, she met and later married the love of her life, late husband, Ulysses “Crazy Legs” Curtis of Albion. The two would move to Albion, MI after graduation where first daughter, Carol Lisa Curtis would be born in 1950 and later second daughter, Sylvia Oneida Curtis would be born in 1952. During this period, Husband Ulysses played professional football in Toronto where they resided during the season and the two would reside in Albion during the off season. In 1955, Catherine and family moved permanently to Toronto where third child, son, Warren Ulysses Curtis was born.

In Toronto, Catherine entered the nursing profession after a brief stint as a substitute teacher. She attended to the needs of patients with compassion and professionalism for over 25 years, before retiring.

Catherine played a pivotal role in the intellectual and personal development of her children, often playing Scrabble with them as a means of developing their vocabulary. Extremely intelligent, nurturing, and progressive in her thinking, Catherine was the glue of her nuclear family. She was a lover of music, and of cards, and would rarely turn down an offer to play a game of bid whist.

Both Catherine and Ulysses Curtis were members of the Emmanuel Baptist Church in Toronto, Ontario. Catherine was an unpretentious and loving emissary of God who carried herself with class and dignity, walked uprightly and was kind to others.

Catherine is survived by her children: Warren Curtis and Carol Curtis-Clarke (Matthew) both of Toronto and Sylvia Alexis of Mississauga, 4 grandchildren, sister, Emma Fishman of New York, sister-in-laws, Essie Curtis and Gertrude Barting of Albion, brother-in-law, Dr. James Curtis of Albion and a host of others whose lives she touched.