William Dean Curtis, 96, passed away peacefully Saturday February 16, 2019 at Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Marion, Illinois.
William was born September 14, 1922 in Kewanee, Illinois the son of the late Lonnie and Bessie (Dean) Curtis.
He married Bertha C. Martin in 1952 in Chicago. They shared over 22 years of marriage.
Bill served in the U. S. Army May 1943 ~ February 1946. He reached the rank of staff sergeant in Germany during WWII. He was released with Honorable Discharge and earned Good Conduct Medal, Overseas Service Bars, and Two Bronze Battle Stars and Victory Medal. Bill went on to work at Southern Illinois University and retired from there 1979. He loved restoring furniture and opened his own business buying and selling antiques known as The Real Estate Agent. In 2002 he became a regular volunteer at the V. A. Medical Center in Marion, Illinois logging over 11,0000 hours of services and earning many accolades doing so including a ceremonial renaming of the Medical Arts Centers Laboratory where he spent his most relevant time as a volunteer.
Bill is survived by his children; William Martin Curtis; Mary Grace Curtis; James Dean Curtis.
He was preceded in death by his parents Lonnie and Bessie Curtis and Daughter Donna Marie Curtis. Graveside Services will be Tuesday February 26, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. at Oakland Cemetery with Full Military Rites.
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