Douglas Curtis born October 31, 1926, died at age 94, February 14, 2021 in his home following a lengthy illness. He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Jeannie Barnhill Curtis; his four children and three step children, Douglas Wright Curtis Jr. and his wife Beverly of West Monroe; John Wallace Curtis and wife Pamela of Many; daughters, Linda Curtis Sparks and husband J. T. Sparks of Many; Phyllis Longmire and husband David of Shreveport; step son, Robert Lynn King of Dumas, Arkansas; step-daughters, Twila Kay McElhaney and husband Frankie of South Haven, Mississippi; Kimberly Jean Hicks and husband Kelvin of Hornbeck. He was proud of his 18 grandchildren, 28 great grandchildren, 5 great great grandchildren and a host of nieces and nephews. Douglas’s surviving sibling is his brother Wilbert S. Curtis of DeRidder. He was preceded in death by his parents, Alvin Wallace Curtis, Sr. and Myrtle Wright Curtis of Negreet; brothers, Alvin Wallace Curtis, Jr.; Dr. John Cecile Curtis; sisters, Mary Lou Small and Helen Curtis McCollister.
Mr. Curtis was born and raised in Negreet, where he graduated from high school in 1941. At age 16, he went to work in the logging industry and was drafted to report for military training on January 1, 1944 to Camp Robinson in North Little Rock, Arkansas. After infantry training, Curtis shipped out to Oakland, California and had been on the boat for 3o days in route to Japan, when the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. He served in Occupied Japan. Following his discharge on August 27, 1946, he returned to Sabine Parish and became a third-generation grocer. He was in the grocery business in Many, LA until 1971. The following years led him into farming and he owned a restaurant in Natchitoches, LA.
Mr. Curtis’s children credit him for instilling a strong faith, a strong work ethic and a responsibility for community stewardship. He was an avid LSU fan and introduced his sons to home games during the period that LSU won its first championship in 1958, attending numerous Sugar Bowl games inspiring and supporting their football years at Many High School. He was an avid duck hunter and known for his cooking skills.
He was active in his business years in the Many Athletic Booster Club, The Sabine Parish Chamber of Commerce, the Masons, Shriners and was a member of Fort Jesup Baptist Church.
The family expresses appreciation to Hospice of Natchitoches, its representatives Cassie Sparish, Hanna Watley, Misty Morgan, Donna (D. J.) Jackson and Buster Jordan, to VA Services representative Jamie Smith and Kacey Cain and sitter Charisma Hicks.
The family will have a memorial graveside service at Zion Hill Cemetery, Negreet, LA at 2:00 PM Saturday, March 13, 2021.
In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials to any of the following: Many Athletic Football Program, 100 Tiger Drive, Many, Louisiana 71449; District 8 Baptist Convention for the Toledo Bend Ministries or for Clara Springs Baptist Encampment, P. 0. Box 288o, Natchitoches, Louisiana 71457 or The Toledo Bend/Zwolle Historical Museum, 1601 Texas Hwy, Many, Louisiana 71449.