Lawrence Buck “L.B.” Curtis, beloved husband, father and friend, departed this life on Wednesday, January 25, 2017. Born in Grand Junction, Colorado to Leila and Chester Curtis, June 18, 1924, he grew up in Denver, learning the virtues of hard work and self-reliance during the Great Depression. He graduated from Arvada High School in May 1942 and joined the US Navy. Assigned to Naval Air Squadron VPB-15 as a radio operator, he served in the Atlantic, Panama Canal Zone and Western Pacific theaters from March 1943 to January 1946.
Returning home after the war, Buck attended Colorado School of Mines, graduating with a petroleum engineering degree in 1949, which led to a position with Continental Oil Company (Conoco) in the oilfields of Texas. That year he also married his sweetheart, Rose Vanderhoof, of Arvada. By 1960, they were raising four wonderful children. During his career with Conoco, he worked around the world engineering technical solutions to improve the supply of oil to the American public, including the innovative Dubai Kazaan submersible storage tank and the Hutton deepwater tension-leg platform. He retired in 1987 as a Vice President of the company’s Production Engineering Services. Throughout his career and into retirement, he was active in the petroleum industry, receiving many prestigious awards, serving as the president of the Society of Petroleum Engineers in 1971, and later as chairman of the board of Energy Corporation of America. However, he considered the family he built with Rose to be his greatest contribution.
Buck believed the secret to a long life was to remain open and curious to the world around us. He filled his spare hours reading his way through American history, enjoying nature, and circling the globe in his travels. As a member of the United Methodist Church, he served the Lord by contributing to hundreds of good causes, especially ChildFund International. In his retirement, he taught English as a second language and mentored elementary students in reading. He also built his dream home, fondly called the Lake House, which provided many years of enjoyment, especially as a gathering place for his family. These words convey the bare thread of his life, but many events, people and happenings took place along the way, leaving him with the satisfaction of having always tried his best.
Buck is preceded in death by his wife Rose and son, David. He is survived by his cousin, Ruby Roe; his daughters and their families: Jennifer and Tom Swanson, Ann Benzon, Claudia Curtis, and daughter-in-law, Lynda Curtis. Eight wonderful grandchildren and two great-grandchildren continue his legacy.
A celebration of his life will take place on Saturday, February 11 at 10 am at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home, 13001 Katy Freeway, Houston Texas 77079. A private interment will take place next summer at Olinger Crown Hill Cemetery in Wheatridge, Colorado. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be sent to ChildFund International, 2821 Emerywood Parkway, Richmond, VA 23294, or to the charity of your choice.
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