Clifton Robert Curtis

Clifton Robert “Clif” Curtis, 89 of Horseshoe Bend, Arkansas passed away Tuesday, October 20, 2015. Clif was born May 27, 1926 in Spring Hill Arkansas, Hempstead County to Sadie and Foster Curtis. He was the 4th of 6 children. He lived there until age 18 when he traveled to Chicago, IL to enter the Great Lakes Navel Training Center. After training he was shipped to San Diego, CA where he boarded his ship, the USS Aulick, a Fletcher Class destroyer, and headed to the war theater in the South Pacific. During his time at sea his ship was attacked and hit by Kamikaze planes. Thankfully the USS Aulick sustained and was able to make it back to port for repairs. Clif was discharged at the end of the war and returned to Arkansas and went to work at a grocery store owned by his sister and brother-in-law Thelma and Harold Hamiter. It was during this time that he met Betty Martin and in August of 1950 they married and moved to Chicago. Clif worked at Industrial Molded in Palatine, IL until 1959 when they bought a trucking business and renamed it Clif’s Cartage. For the next 35 years Clif and Betty built the business in the Palatine and Chicago area. Betty worked in the office and Clif and his brother Kenny (Clint) ran the trucking and maintenance aspects of the business. In 1990 Clif retired, sold the business and bought a motor home. During the next 3 years Clif and Betty enjoyed traveling around the country attending many Naval reunions. They sold their house in Palatine in 1993 moving to Horseshoe Bend, Arkansas. During the next 22 years he spent time working in the Horseshoe Bend Garden Park, enoying membership in various organizations, doing volunteer work and tinkering in the garage. Clif was dedicated to his wife and daughter. A few of the many ways he showed his love included the days and weekends he spent over the years moving props and staging for dance recitals Cindy was in, attending parades Cindy marched and danced in and teaching her Camp Fire groups the skills of knot tying and surviving in the great outdoors. Despite his quiet nature he loved to laugh and make others laugh too. Clif is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Betty (Martin) Curtis, daughter Cindy Curtis of Belton, TX and sister Mary “Dal” Meccia of Cottonwood, AZ. He is proceeded in death by his brothers Carter, Chester and Kenny (Clint) Curtis; sister, Thelma Hamiter and his mother and father Sadie and Foster Curtis.

Services will be held on Saturday, October 24th at the Doty Funeral Home in Horseshoe Bend, AR. Visitation at 11:00 and the service at 1:00 with Bro. Tom Doty officiating. A gathering of friends and family will be Saturday, November 14, 2015 beginning at 12:00 PM with services at 2:00 PM with Rev. Kenneth Bobo officiating. All services will be at Herndon Pharr Funeral Home in Hope, Arkansas. Inurnment will follow in Rose Hill Cemetery in Hope, Arkansas.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Horseshoe Bend Garden Club c/o The Doty Family Funeral Home or Rose Hill Cemetery c/o Keenan Williams, 120 South Elm, Hope, AR 71802. Arrangements entrusted to Doty Family Funeral and Memorial Service of Horseshoe Bend.