Eva Louise (Lawson) Curtiss, 79, passed away on February 24, 2013 at her home, in Lawrence, KS. She was born on November 21, 1933 to Ernie James and Velma May (Richardson) Lawson in Hutchinson, KS where Eva met and married the love of her life, Kelley J. Curtiss. They were married from 1952 until her passing, sharing a lifetime of laughter and love and an appreciation for music, art and literature that they have passed to their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Eva loved sunshine and moonlight and working in her gardens. She was an avid reader, dragon collector,and a baker known far and wide for her fabulous cinnamon rolls. She loved all babies, her Yorkies, Patsy Cline, Big Band singers and Bluegrass at the Walnut Valley Blue Grass Festival before it was cool. She was Miss Hutchinson of 1951. She was an undefeated leg wrestler, a champion jack player, and once bowled a 500 game. She played the autoharp, a mean tambourine, and had a throaty contralto voice. She was sassy, stubborn, loyal, opinionated, independent and generous.
She considered her greatest achievement to be her family. Six children were born in Hutchinson. The family moved to Salina in 1964 and to Topeka in 1970.
In Topeka she went to work, first at Northern Hills Jr High as a baker (hence the fabulous cinnamon rolls), then at Calhoun’s Department store, and finally at Hall Directory. She was a member of Pleasant Hill UMC. When her husband was transferred to Guthrie, Oklahoma, they made a new life, joining the First United Methodist church and choir, Eva working at BancFirst, Kelley playing in the Okie Dokie Banjo Band, and kicking up their heels while (square) dancing the night away. When she retired, they moved to Colorado Springs, then back to Kansas for the last 4 years. While living in KC she attended Wesley United Methodist Church.
Eva is survived by her spouse, Kelley, of Lawrence, KS; three daughters, Cleon Curtiss of the home, Melody Curtiss (Jamie Beletz) of Seattle, WA, and Lyric (Larry) Bartz of Lawrence, KS; three sons, Kelley (Myra) Curtiss of Colwich, KS, Kevin (Darcy) Curtiss of Kansas City, KS, Patrick (Martha Coffman) Curtiss of Lawrence, KS; and her stepson Ronald (Amelia) Curtiss of Guatemala City, GT.
She is also survived by her grandchildren, Gillian (Brandon) Masters; Colin (Catherine) Cathey, Era (Ari Hornick) Cathey, Robin (Barry) Adcock, Jenny (Matt) Talley, Eric and Sarah Beletz; Brianne, Kindra, Charlton (Cheyenne) and Brenton Bartz; Danielle (Jessica) Curtiss-Smith, Dana (Rick) Piatt, Gwen (Kevin) McDonald, Bill, Rachel, Christa, Joel and Jessica Curtiss; Sarah, Caitlin, Arin, Evan, and Ryan Curtiss; Kelley Evans, Clint Curtiss and Brendan Gallagher; and Loraine, Ronald Jr., and Oscar Curtiss.
She is also survived by fourteen great-grandchildren, two sisters-in-law, Patricia Trantham and Donna Adcock, and 8 nieces and nephews.
Eva was preceded in death by her parents and her sisters, Goldie Helflin and Pat Baytosh.
A private family celebration of life will be held at a later date.
A link to relive more memories caught in still frame will be posted here soon, so come back and hash up those happy memories.
In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations be made to the Scleroderma Foundation (300 Rosewood Drive, Suite 105, Danvers, MA 01923), theAlzheimer’s Foundation of America (322 8th Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10001) or the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (1311 Mamaroneck Avenue, Suite 310, White Plains, NY 10605).
