Joe Curtis

Joe Wilson Curtis of Palatka, Florida, was born 4 November 1927 in Dowelltown, Tennessee and passed away on 13 November 2016 at his home in Palatka. He has resided in Palatka, Florida since 1960. He worked for Q. I. Roberts Dairy, milking cows when he first came to Florida. He met Mr. E. L. Donnely, who came to work on the air conditioning equipment at the dairy. Mr. Donnely found out Joe had worked on heating equipment in Detroit, Michigan, so he hired Joe to work for Artic Air, Inc. Joe gave Mr. Roberts a two week notice and began to work for Artic Air in 1962. Mr. Donnely retired and sold Artic Air to Joe; who then brought in his brother-in-law, Lorenz Newbern Pascal, to work with him along with Joe’s two sons, Michael and Jeff, who now own Artic Air. Joe was an active member of Tabernacle Baptist Church for 30 years. He particularly enjoyed staying with the children in the nursery which he did for years; the children loved Joe because he made everything a fun game. He has been an active member of Peniel Baptist Church since 1994. When Peniel began a new church in Palm Coast, Joe and Bertha committed a year to work in the nursery there. He also attended the Country Church here in Palatka at the Horseman’s Club for five years, which was called Cowboy Church at the time. Joe was a fan of professional wrestling and especially NASCAR racing, attending his first Daytona 500 with his three sons in 1961. From then on, he attended every Daytona 500 until his health got the best of him in 2016. At one time, four generations of Curtises attending the races together, which brought Joe great joy. He and his good friend, John Black enjoyed a round of golf as often as they could manage to finagle one! Joe was preceded in death by his infant son, Gary Alan Curtis; His parents, Shelton and Mattie Curtis of Dowelltown, Tennessee; His sister, Julia Imogene Crook of Alexandria, Tennessee; His brother-in-law, Lorenz Newbern Pascal; and his beloved granddaughter Kristen Curtis of Riviera Beach, Florida. Joe is survived by his wife of 68 years, Bertha Mae Curtis, of Palatka, Florida; His sister, Nora (Joe) Young, of Alexandria, Tennessee; His brother, Doyle (Margaret) Curtis, of Liberty, Tennessee; His sister-in-law, Rosemary Pascal, of Palatka, Florida; and many more beloved nieces and nephews; Also surviving are his sons: Richard (Ruth) Curtis of Port St. Lucie, Florida; Michael (Suzanne) Curtis of Palatka, Florida; Jeffery (Brandi) Curtis of Hollister, Florida; Grandchildren: Brian (Alicia) Curtis and his mother, Annette Bellemore, of Port Orange, Florida; Aaron (Marcella) Curtis of Palatka, Florida; Ashley Curtis, of Jacksonville, North Carolina; Casey Curtis, of Port St. Lucie, Florida; Austin (Rachel) Curtis of Palatka, Florida; Tyler (Lehla) Curtis of San Francisco, California; Jordan Sharp, of Palatka, Florida; Alyssa Curtis of Valdosta, Georgia; Jessalyn Curtis of Provo, Utah. His great grand children: Kylie Curtis, Lauryn Curtis, Logan Curtis, Bailey Curtis, Will McKee, Madison Curtis, R.J. Kimball, Aiden Curtis, Kinslee Curtis, Maximus Curtis and Icarus Curtis. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Peniel Baptist Church Building Fund, 5227 Silver Lake Dr., Palatka, FL 32177 or to Hospice of the Nature Coast, 927 S. Hwy 19, Palatka, FL 32177. Services will be at 10:00 A.M. Thursday, November 17, 2016 at Peniel Baptist Church with Dr. Benny Reynolds officiating. Burial will follow at Oak Hill West Cemetery in Palatka. The family will receive friends Wednesday from 5-7 P.M. at Johnson-Overturf Funeral Home in Palatka. Memories and condolences may be expressed to the family at Joe’s Book of Memories page at www.Johnson-Overturffunerals.com. Arrangements are under the direction of Johnson-Overturf Funeral Home in Palatka.