Robert William Curtis, Sr.

Robert William Curtis, Sr., 93, of Johnson City, died Friday, December 2, 2016 at Hillview Health Center in Elizabethton. Mr. Curtis was born February 24, 1923 in Lisbon, ND to Walter G. Curtis, Sr. and Carolyn Marsh Curtis. He graduated from high school in Shorewood, WI in 1941 and from the Advanced Marketing Management School at the General Electric Institute in Crotonville, NY in 1964. Mr. Curtis served with the US Navy Amphibious Forces in World War II. After training at Great Lakes, IL and Newport, RI he participated in the commissioning of the ship LST 1005 in Quincy, MA, and then joined its crew as lead Quartermaster sailing to the South Pacific. There the ship ended up carrying US troops from the Philippines to Japan after their surrender in 1945. Mr. Curtis was honorably discharged from the Navy as Quartermaster First Class in 1946. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 36 years, Joyce McPherson Curtis; his wife of ten years, Susan Round Curtis; as well as a brother, Walter G. Curtis, Jr. Mr. Curtis started his 43 year career in sales and marketing of major appliances and air conditioning in Milwaukee, WI, moving on to Duluth, MN, St. Paul, MN, Louisville, KY, Kansas City, KS, Los Angeles, CA, Allentown, PA, and then San Antonio, TX where he became president of Friedrich Air Conditioning. When that company was sold in 1981, he retired but soon went overseas to join the only air conditioning manufacturer in Saudi Arabia. Returning to the US in 1984, he and his wife cruised over 12,000 miles in their trawler on the Intracoastal Waterway and inland rivers before deciding to settle in Tennessee in 1985. He joined the management of Zoneaire, Inc. in Johnson City until retiring a third time in 1989. Since then frequent trips overseas, including a trip around the world on a freighter, have kept him occupied. Mr. Curtis is a member of the Watauga Avenue Presbyterian Church in Johnson City, TN. He is a 32nd Degree Mason and a 45-year member of Lodge #326 AF&M Trexlertown, PA. Survivors include: five children, Christopher R. Curtis of Toms River, NJ, Scott McPherson Curtis of Scottsville, VA, Claudia Mroz of Atlanta, GA, Amy Stateson of Elizabethton, TN, and Robert William Curtis, Jr. of San Antonio, TX; grandchildren, Ginger Lea Curtis, Priya Prairie Curtis (Kevin Miller), Emily Mroz Ball (Brian), and John Robert Stateson (Brandi); great grandchildren, Kara Rose and Kaitlyn Lily Stateson, Gabriel Anton Miller, and Miller Harrison Ball; sister-in-law, Joyce Knapp Curtis of Northbrook, IL; and several nieces and nephews. A committal service and inurnment will be held at the Arlington National Cemetery Columbarium at a later date. For those who wish, memorial contributions may be made to the Shriners Hospitals for Children, 2900 N. Rocky Point Dr., Tampa, FL 33607 or Watauga Avenue Presbyterian Church, 610 E. Watauga Ave., Johnson City, TN 37601.