Thomas A. Curtis passed away on May 3 ^rd in McAlester, Oklahoma at the age of 86. A Celebration of his Life will be held on Friday, May 12 ^th at 11:00 a.m. at All Saints Episcopal Church in McAlester, Oklahoma. In lieu of flowers please donate to The Good Samaritan Outreach of McAlester or the charity of your choice. Honorary pallbearers will be Tray Ardese, Richard Askew, Gene Bass, William Bellis, Robert Glenn, John Grimm, Grant Grumbine, Stroud Holt, Josh Jeffreys, Tarrant King, Richard Kush, Allen Mann, Michael Parks, John Rayburn, Jeremy Spiegel, Paul Thomas and Charles Thurber, and Dr. Don Shuller. Tom was born January 7, 1937 in Atoka, Oklahoma and spent his childhood years in Durant, Oklahoma, where he enjoyed being a bass fishing guide on Lake Texhoma and sang in the First Baptist Church choir as well as the Durant High School choir. He was a member of the Durant High School football and baseball teams. Tom served in the 45 ^th division of the Oklahoma Army National Guard. He attended East Central University in Ada, while working at Howard Sheet Metal and Roofing Company. In Ada he met the "catch of his life," Bettye and they were married December 20, 1958. In 1961 they moved to McAlester and began Curtis Claims Service, an accident investigating service. Tom added free-lance court reporting and later attended Northwestern University in Chicago to become a certified accident reconstruction expert. Tom and Bettye have been members of All Saints Episcopal Church for 57 years where Tom treasured singing in the church choir. There he served terms as Senior Warden and Junior Warden. Tom enjoyed serving with Father William Graham in the food service program, John 3:16. He also enjoyed many hours with his family on Lake Eufaula, fishing Blue River, and delighted in teaching others the art of fly fishing.

Tom has been reunited with his parents, Thomas Aaron Curtis and Allie Mae Click Curtis and his siblings, Margaret Evelyn Curtis Brown and Robert A. Curtis.

He is survived by his wife, Grace Elizabeth "Bettye" Floyd Curtis of the home; daughter, Kellye Elizabeth Curtis Trask and husband, Grover of Sarasota, Florida; son, Thomas Anthony Curtis of McAlester; daughter, Kristina Mae Curtis Wylie and husband, Aaron of Broken Arrow; grandchildren, Tara Elizabeth Trask of Newry, South Carolina, Andrew William Trask and wife, Amber of Oxford, United Kingdom, Taylor Elizabeth Wylie of Broken Arrow and Declan Jace Wylie of Broken Arrow.