Frank Louis Curtis

Frank Louis Curtis died in his Houston, TX. home on July 24, 2007. Mr. Curtis had been a patient at M.D. Anderson for 27 years. He wants to express his appreciation for the care and compassion of the many doctors and other staff members who engaged in his care. He survived prostate cancer, melanoma, and multiple myeloma, and his resistance was reduced finally by myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Mr. Curtis was born on January 9, 1924 in New York City. He served from 1942 thru 1947 in the U. S. Navy as an aircraft mechanic and flight crewman. He attended engineering school at the Illinois Institute of Technology, graduating in 1951 with a B.S. degree in Industrial Engineering. Mr. Curtis worked for The Boeing Company for 37 years starting out as a flight test engineer where he was concerned mainly with performance testing of the B-47 and B-52 jet bombers in Seattle, Washington. In 1959, he was assigned to the Minuteman Program, where he held a number of positions including: Systems Engineering, Test Manager, Reliability and Safety Manager, Omaha Office Manager, and Safeguard Test Target System Manager. Mr. Curtis was appointed Shuttle Carrier Aircraft Program Manager in 1975 and saw that program to a highly successful conclusion. Subsequently, assumed Management of Boeing Houston Operations, an engineering services organization supporting the Johnson Space Center on the Space Shuttle Program. In 1983 he was appointed Vice President, Business Development of Boeing Services International (BSI) located in Cocoa Beach, Florida. In 1985, Mr. Curtis was selected as Program Manager, Air Force One which consisted of modifying two 747 aircrafts for use by the President of the United States. Mr. And Mrs. Curtis have fond memories of working with the White House and the Air Force on this program. He retired from Boeing in 1989. Mr. Curtis and his wife Shirley retired in Clear Lake City, TX where he was active in the University Baptist Church of Clear Lake City and served as Chairman of the Facilities Committee for several years as well as other positions such as Chief Usher and Department Director. Mr. Curtis is survived by his loving wife of 22 years, Shirley J. Curtis, three Daughters, Kay and husband Lloyd Schneider of MO, Laurie and husband Chris Berwald of WA, Lisa and husband Duane Michael DeLuca of WA. Grandchildren, Jeremy and Jason Schneider, Sadie and Nick DeLuca. Shirley’s children; Debbie Swift, David Elmore and wife Sheila of TX., grandchildren, Heather and husband Jonathan Foley, Erica and husband Stephen Sturdevant, and great-grandchildren, Kayla and Avery Sturdevant. He is also survived by a Sister, Jeanne and husband Jerry Hagelberg of Canterbury, England; sister-in-law, Hazel Lovelady and brother-in-law Gordon Bevill and wife LaWanda, numerous nieces and nephews. Frank will always be remembered for his sharp mind, the twinkle in his eye, the love in his heart, and his wonderful sense of humor. For those wishing, memorials may be made to M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. Visitation will be held from 12:00 to 1:00 at University Baptist Church, 16106 Middlebrook Dr., Houston TX. Funeral Services at University Baptist Church will begin at 1:00, followed by a gravesite ceremony at the Forest Park East Cemetery, 21620 Gulf Freeway, Webster TX. You may sign the online guest book and leave a personal message of condolence or a special memory of Mr. Curtis below.