Gloria Yvonne Curtis

Gloria Yvonne (Nicholson) Curtis was born in Seattle, Washington on October 5th, 1931 to Samuel and Julia Nicholson. Gloria passed away peacefully and comfortably after a long hard-fought battle with Dementia. Her Husband of 60 years Ken Curtis and her oldest daughter Julie were by her side. Her other daughter Carol and Gloria's two grandchildren and their spouses had just called to send her on her way with love.

At a very early age, Gloria struggled with her health. Before the age of 5, she contracted Saint Vitus's Dance (Sydenham's chorea or chorea minor). She went to Children's Orthopedic Hospital which sent her home to die. Her mother Julia took care of Gloria for at least a year and during that time Gloria had to learn to walk and talk all over again. Later as a pre-teen, Gloria and her mother were overcome with natural gas and was saved by Gloria's father when he returned home from work and took them outside to recover.

Gloria was brought up in the Seattle and Mukilteo area. She went to elementary school in Mukilteo and attended Lincoln High School in Seattle for less than a year.

During her late teens and early twenty's, Gloria modeled for Elizabeth Leonard a well-known fashion-show hostess in the Seattle area. Gloria, modeled for many of the top department stores in the late 40's and 50's (Fredrick & Nelson, I Magnum, Bon Marche, McDougal & Southwick and Rhodes). Gloria also had some other jobs including assembling circuit boards, and as a film checker for Universal Film Exchange on film row in Seattle.

In July 1957, Gloria met the love of her life, Kenneth Richard Curtis. Their love story began as their mothers and their fathers worked together. It was literally, "we have a daughter", "we have a son". Gloria and Ken met at the West Seattle Hi-Yu Seafair Picnic in 1957, Gloria left her sweater in Ken's car. One of their early dates was the 1957 Seafair Hydro races -. Wasting no time, Ken proposed to Gloria on a full moon on August 18, 1957 with an announcement of the engagement on the following day (Ken's mother's birthday). Between their engagement and wedding on November 16, 1957, Gloria and Ken started what would be their love of the PNW and travel with a weekend trip to Jewel Lake in Eastern BC.

After they were married, and honeymooned in Vancouver, BC, they made their home at the GreenLake Apartments before buying their first home in the Broadview area above Carkeek Park. After their two daughters were born, they sold this house moved to the Northgate apartments for a short period of time before buying the family home in the Winona Park area north of Greenlake where they lived for 32 years. As their daughter were growing up, the family took many trips around the NW, up to Canada and a trip to California to Disneyland. Gloria and Ken took up their love for travel after their daughters graduated from high school, attending three world fairs, (Seattle, Vancouver BC and Spokane) and traveling to Hawaii a couple of times and many times to Vegas after their grandchildren were born. They purchased a trailer which started them on what would be their love of motor-homing around the country. Upon selling the family home, they purchased a motorhome and spent the next 14 years traveling as snow birds to Palm Springs and in the later years around the PNW. The trip of a lifetime came in 2004 when Gloria and Ken traveled to Denmark and Norway for over three weeks. It was a wonderful trip finding Gloria's grandfathers home in Porsgrund Norway.

In 2010 they moved into an Assisted Living community in Ballard (Ballard Landmark) enjoying many walks around Ballard. They lived there for 5 years until it was necessary to find a place with a Memory Care as Gloria's dementia was requiring more care. They moved to Vineyard Park in Mountlake Terrace in late August 2015 a short distance from their oldest daughter. Gloria moved into the Memory Care Unit at the beginning of 2017.

Gloria loved to dance and loved music. When her daughters were young she would dance and sing with them listening to American Bandstand. She loved the beach, loved walking and loved animals too.

Gloria is survived by her loving husband Ken Curtis, daughters Julie Curtis, Carol (Ray) Smith. Two grandchildren Seth (Heather) Smith and Alayna (Kris) Sowders and three great-grandchildren Lillianne, James and Rosalee Smith.

In lieu-of flowers the family suggests donations to the Washington State Chapter for Alzheimer or to Evergreen Hospice.