Richard Reed Curtin

Richard Reed “Dick” Curtin, MD, age 94, died peacefully on June 19, 2019, at his home in Shell Point, Ft. Myers, FL, with his loving wife Nancy of 54 years and his devoted oldest daughter, Dana by his side. Dick was born on April 1, 1925, in Philadelphia, PA and grew up in rural West Virginia in a coal mining and lumbering area. He was predeceased by his parents Ellsworth Ferris Curtin and Margaretta Cope Curtin, as well as his brothers David and Philip. Dick attended Webster Springs High School and subsequently graduated in 1943 from George School in Newtown, PA.

Following Dick’s graduation from George School, he served in the U.S. Army in WW II in North Africa and Italy from June 1943 to December, 1945. Upon his return from the army, Dick married his first wife, Dorothy Dana of Swarthmore, PA in 1947. With the help of the GI Bill, Dick attended Swarthmore College and Harvard Medical School, graduating in 1952. He trained in General Surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and practiced in Boston and Exeter, NH, where he worked with a multi-specialty medical group. In Exeter, Dick served as Chief of Surgery and was on the Board of Trustees of the Exeter Hospital.

Dick worked as a volunteer on the Board of the New Hampshire Lung Association and was the NH representative to the National Board of the American Lung Association for ten years. He served one term as President of the NH Lung Association, and in 1986 was presented with the Robert B. Kerr Award, the highest honor given by the New Hampshire Lung Association .

Dick married Nancy Dole of Augusta, Maine, in 1965. They shared many gloriously happy years together in Exeter, NH, West Gardiner, Maine, Sanibel, FL and Shell Point in Fort Myers, FL. They enjoyed traveling worldwide with colleagues and friends, in addition to visiting daughters temporarily living in Spain, Peru, and Costa Rica.

Following retirement, Dick and Nancy moved to Sanibel, FL in 1988, spending summers in West Gardiner, Maine. In Sanibel, Dick worked with The Committee of the Islands (COTI), serving on the Board, and as President from 1994 to1997. He was also on the Board of Sanibel Estates Association of Properties Owners, and the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF).

Dick was an avid tennis player and enjoyed playing tennis all his life. Playing with his children and grandchildren and instilling an interest in the sport was very special to him. Dick will be remembered for his brilliant intellect, superb memory and his ability to read, blocking out all external interruptions. In addition, he enjoyed jogging, completing four marathons. Dick was also an early computer aficionado and followed the progression of computer developments over the years. He loved his Kindle and his Tablet. Dick also was an avid photographer and was the family historian through photos.

Dick and Nancy moved to Shell Point Retirement Community in Ft. Myers in 2004 where he was active in the Great Decisions Discussion group and the Democratic Club. He was also a strong supporter of Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) Single Payer Health Care.

Dick was especially pleased to have children and grandchildren visit in Sanibel and Maine. In addition to his wife Nancy, Dick is survived by children Dana Curtin Granados, Richard R. Curtin, Jr., Psy.D. (Amanda), Andrew C. Curtin, Karen Curtin Voorhees (David), Kathryn Curtin, Brian S. Curtin (Denise), and Elizabeth Curtin Hayes (Gerald); also13 grandchildren: Sarah Foleno, Kristen Krafsig, Elysa Granados, Marcelo Granados, Garret Voorhees, Coerte Voorhees, Laura Curtin, Delaney Curtin, Kaj Klitgaard, Jessica Curtin, Tyler Curtin, Ashley Wozneak, Davin Grant-Pollo, and great-grandsons; James Joseph Foleno, Jake and Ryan Krafsig, and Levi Jordon.

A special thanks to Max, Doreen and the rest of his Hope Hospice team for their attentive and superb care and dedicated support.

A memorial service will be held sometime in the Fall.

Donations may be made in Dick’s memory to Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) or Hope Hospice at the following addresses:

SCCF

PO Box 839

Sanibel, FL 33957

(239) 472-2329

www.sccf.org

Hope Hospice

9470 HealthPark Circle

Fort Myers, FL 33908

(800) 835-1673

Donate.HopeHCS.org