Harold Elmer Curtis

Born March 25, 1917 – Died February 25, 2013

Father: Harold Evelyn Curtis

Mother: Blanche Marie Perry

Curt, the youngest of three children had an older brother, Ken and a sister Dorothy. His parents and siblings have predeceased him. When the children were young, the family moved often, renting homes in the Wallingford and University districts of Seattle. Curt attended different schools; McDonald, LaTona, Alexander Hamilton and Lincoln high school. As youngsters, the two brothers and their sister enjoyed camping trips with their parents. These special family times made for fond memories. Curt recalled a visit to Spring Lake, Mich. In 1927, at age 10. On this trip, he saw his paternal Grandmother, his mother’s sister-Mildred, and the Throckmorton family. The highlight of the entire trip was seeing Charles Lindbergh at the Detroit airfield. Lindbergh had successfully crossed the Atlantic ocean in his biplane, “The Spirit of St. Louis”. He was considered a national hero and had been honored by a parade in New York. He was traveling across the county promoting flying.

Curt was about 17 years old when his father passed on. As a young man he held many different jobs. He rolled steel in a local mill, made doors, delivered ice to homes and businesses. He iced the beer coils in many of the local taverns. He played softball for the Dunn Lumber team during the summer months. His favorite summer job was working for the Geodetic survey on Orcas Island. He spent many hours tramping over the hills using the hoop and holler method to verify the surveyor’s markings. There was fun too. Movie nights were held once weekly. There was hiking, bicycling, and getting acquainted with the locals. Curt liked to climb to the top of Mt. Constitution, where on a clear day you could see Canada. The view of the surrounding scenery was great. On one of the local movie nights, he met another Curtis—Arlene Curtis. She had received mail for him at her house.

Curt had life-long friends; among them, the Spring brothers and Clara, their mother. She was surprised on some mornings when there was one more for breakfast. Curt would climb into the upper bedroom of the Spring’s and bunk in with some of the brothers on those occasions when he had stayed out to late. He and his friends often hopped trains to see some of the country. He loved trains and the adventure of riding the rails. One of the local hangouts in Seattle was the Mountain Creamery. It was the best place for ice cream and girl watching. He was a very social guy and the girls liked him. He often got dates for his too shy buddies. Before being drafted into the Army during World War II, he was employed by the Great Northern Railroad. He worked the Seattle yards, switching engines. He was 25 years old when inducted into the service at Ft. Lewis He was the first assigned to the combat engineers. A short time later, the Army notified him to report to the 715th Illinois Central RR battalion. They were being activated for overseas assignment. That outfit ultimately went to Italy. He was then made a part of the 743rd Illinois Central RR battalion. He ran trains from Meridian, Miss. To Hattiesburg, Miss. Later he was assigned a run into New Orleans. This was good duty. Curt was a corporal, then made Sgt. During this time. The men assigned to him in the bunk cars worked out well. He had no difficulty assigning duties to them, and when the weekends came, they were rewarded with passes into New Orleans. Curt enjoyed this time in New Orleans. Rumors were flying that his outfit was soon going overseas. It wasn’t long until the word came, and the group boarded a troop train headed for New York. They did not know their final destination. Later, as they left New York Harbor on a converted passenger ship from the Moore-McCormick line, they sailed past the Statue of Liberty and were overseas. They had 9 submarines alert while crossing the Atlantic ocean. The convoy used a zigzag pattern to avoid submarines. The ocean was calm and after 13 days, they arrived at Eastley on the South coast of England. Curt served in France, Belgium and Germany. While in France, he hauled supplies to the front and brought back hospital trains to Cherbourg. While in Antwerp, their group was domiciled in a local school house. They wondered where the children had gone. This was the time of the V-1 and V-2 weapons. The rocket bombs made eerie sounds and you didn’t know where they might land. The weapons became more accurate each time they came over Antwerp. The British Hawker typhoons would shoot them out of the sky during the daylight hours. It was a nerve wracking time. People in a nearby apartment building were killed or wounded. 200 British soldiers were killed in the Rex Theater when a rocket bomb made a direct hit on the building. When Curt was in Germany he hauled supplies to the front. There was destruction everywhere. After the war ended, the Americans took over the German RR’s. They used German prisoners of war for much of the work needing to be done. Many German people were displaced after surviving the war. They were all along the RR tracks, hoping to catch a ride on some of the trains. From Le Havre France, Curt left for his return trip to the states. At that time, a huge storm was developing in the Atlantic. Many other ships did not attempt the crossing. The seas were rough, and many men were sick. When he arrived in New York, he saw the Statue of Liberty again, that famous symbol of freedom gave him the knowledge that he had survived the war, and he felt he would live a good, long life. He had been gone for 4 years plus, at the time he reached home in Washington. He was in charge of bringing 21 men home. They were discharged at Ft. Lewis, Wash. Curt was happy to be home again. His Mother, family and friends were there. He found work with Greyhound Bus Lines, as a driver. He drove long hours. Then Greyhound went out on strike. His job was in jeopardy. He interviewed for work with Safeway. He landed a job, driving dairy products for the company. He had a good career with Safeway for over 30 years. He was awarded a safe driving citation. He had achieved over a million miles of accident free driving. Curt was married in 1949 to Bertha Schraeder. Bertha and several of her girlfriends had worked at a munitions arsenal in Alabama during the war. They wanted more adventure after leaving Iowa, and they came to Seattle. Curt and Bertha had a good life together. They raised their three daughters. The girls are all college graduates.

Bertha passed on in 1981, after a long battle with breast cancer. Curt cared for her at home during the last months of her life. Survivors include; Jackie, his wife, MaryAnn(Jim Egging), Joan (Frank O’Neill), Jane Bjork, two grandchildren—Gretchen Egging and Michael Bjork. There will be a Memorial Mass said at 9:00 a.m., Thursday, March 7, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 9460 NE 14th St, in Bellevue, Washington. Sunset Hills Funeral Home of Bellevue, WA has been entrusted with arrangements.