Curtis Lee Smith, age 64, of Austin, Texas, succumbed to cancer in the comfort of his own home, surrounded by his dear friends and family on October 30th, 2019. Curtis is survived by his wife, Janice; daughter Julia Smith, daughter Kristin Smith and her husband Justin Carlett; son Josh Smith and his wife Genna Eneman Smith; and brothers, Bob Smith and Guy De Lyne. Curtis is also survived by family cats Buddy, Tidus, Finn, Sif, Hemi, Spike, Kali and Jax
Curtis was born March 17, 1955 in Canyon, Texas to John and Bonita (Brown) Smith. He was raised by Bill and Evelyn Patke on a dairy farm off Buffalo Lake Road. He would form many of his guiding principles and create some of his most told stories living on that farm.
He served in the United States Air Force, stationed at Carswell AFB in Fort Worth, Tx. There he met and married his wife, Janice Lynn Nos, who, from the far-off land of Ohio, had traveled to serve in the Air Force as well. They spent 6 and 5 years, respectively in the Air force and had their 2 daughters - Julia and Kristin, who would both provide them with many years of stress, grey hairs, and abundances of joy.
After their service, they moved to Canyon, Texas, where they worked and completed their education. It would be here that they would have their final child, a son named Joshua. He too would add to all the stress, grey hairs, but also bountiful joy to their lives.
Having lived through some fraught times and a few small perils, they decided in 1988 to move to Austin, Texas where their future would begin in earnest. Austin would be the city in which they would truly build a strong and loyal family, full of trials, tears (good and bad), and love.
Curtis began work at Computer Science Corporation where he would spend most of his adult career, taking lunch breaks to feed his kids with hot dogs, Short Stop Hamburgers, and various other “quick to make” dad meals. He could often be seen riding his Honda Goldwing motorcycle to drop his kids off at daycare or just for a fun ride around town.
When not stressing about work, or the trials and tribulations of raising a large family, he would unwind with fishing the surrounding lakes, cruising on his motorcycle, and eventually taking trips to Vegas and Colorado with his wife in their bright shiny Mustang GT.
He would go on to finish his working career at the Veterans Administration (starting 2008) and retired in 2017 along with his wife. Free of the doldrums of work, him and his wife would spend the rest of their time traveling, napping, and enjoying each other’s company and that of their children.
Curtis’s life was one of struggle and love in equal measure. He had a big heart for his family, his friends, and his pets, even going so far as to accidentally “steal” a neighbor’s cat because of his love. Though he had a big heart, he often had a difficult time showing it. In times of stress and hardship, he struggled to show his affection, though it never diminished.
He can be seen as a sharp rock, ragged and pointed in his early years. Shaped and molded by his life on a farm and in the military. Through the course of his life with his wife Janice, and their 3 kids, the wind and rain of life and love would slowly and surely wear down the edges and bring out a brighter and softer man. Though he often made mistakes, who in this life hasn’t? He learned much in his life of hard lessons and tried to impart his hard-won knowledge to his children, whether that be through a many time told tales of his life on the farm, or through other lessons. He loved and was loved and will be sorely missed.
Celebration of life details to be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, to honor Curtis’s life-long love of animals, the family would appreciate contributions to Austin Pets Alive!
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