By C.J. CARNACCHI0
Oxford Leader Editor
Keith Judson Curtis, founder, owner and operator of Curtis Floor Covering in Oxford, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 19. He was 77.
“He was a great person to work for,” said son Harry Curtis, who worked side-by-side with his father for 38 years in the family business. “It was an extreme pleasure working with my father.”
Curtis founded the floor covering business bearing his family name in 1955 and dedicated his life to making the company thrive and grow for the next five decades.
“He was a hard worker,” Harry said. “Up until he got sick two years ago, he came to work everyday, six days a week. He liked to oversee things personally.”
Curtis was no stranger to hard work.
Born and raised in Leonard, he was forced to quit school at age 14 to work on the family farm after his father passed away.
Curtis’ success in the local business community earned him a seat on the Oxford Bank Board of Directors from 1983 to 1999.
Bank President Randy Fox described Curtis as a “quiet community leader” who “always knew what was going on.”
Fox said during Curtis’ tenure on the bank board he would stop by the floor covering store every other week to chat about the bank and community in general.
“He’d tell me what he liked and didn’t like,” Fox said. “If somebody had a complaint, he made sure I knew about it.”
Curtis was the kind of man people could seek “counsel from” and “get the straight the scoop,” he said. “I’ll dearly miss him.”
Between working the family farm and founding the family business, Curtis served his country in World War II from April 1944 to June 1946. Stationed in Europe, he served in an artillery unit for the U.S. Army.
After the service, Curtis married Gertrude Gingell on December 28, 1946 and the couple remained together for the next 56 years raising four children and 11 grandchildren.
“He provided so well and did so much for his family,” Gertrude said. “He was a hard working man and very honest. If he told you he was going to do something, he did it.”
“He was a wonderful person. Very caring. He loved his family very much and never could do enough for his kids and grand kids,” Harry said.
When he wasn’t working at his business or caring for his family, Curtis enjoyed heading north to Drummond Island or a cottage on Hubbard Lake for some hunting, fishing and snowmobiling.
His local recreation consisted of being a “regular” in Oxford Hills’ Thursday Golf League.
Curtis was also a life member of the Oxford Masonic Lodge.
In addition to his wife Gertrude and son Harry (Shelly), Curtis is also survived by children Karen (Ron) Etherton of Oxford, Kirk (Maryann) Curtis of Almont and Kriss (Lori) of Oxford.
Curtis also leaves behind 11 grandchildren, his stepfather Yern Lyons of Florida, sister Marlyn (Gene) Allen of Florida and brother Robert Lyons of Florida.
He’s preceded in death by father Harry Curtis, mother Helen (Harris) Curtis, and brothers Donald and Duane Curtis.
Funeral services were held Monday at the Bossardet Chapel Lynch & Sons Funeral Directors. The Rev. Dr. Joseph Baunoch of Oxford United Methodist officiated.
Curtis was buried at Ridgelawn Cemetery.
The family requests that memorial contributions be directed to either the Lapeer Regional Hospice (Pulmonary Rehab) or Oxford United Methodist Church.