Curtis Hundley

Family-Placed Obituary

Curtis Hundley Curtis Hundley, a loving husband to Lisa, a wonderful son, brother, and uncle, and an American warrior, gave his life in defense of his family and his country, April 21, 2005 in Iraq. Born into a military family at Ft. Knox, Ky., July 19, 1962, his early years were spent at numerous locations. Kentucky, Kansas, Germany, back to Kansas, California, Texas, Panama Canal, and back to Austin, Texas, where he graduated from Crockett High School, in 1980. Curtis was always his own person. As a child, no one could make him eat something he didn't care for. He refused help when learning to ride a bicycle. At the same time, he loved his older brother, and younger sister, and was a wonderful companion to both. In 1981, he enlisted in the Army, and spent three years as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. On one occasion, when asked by the Division Commanding General, what he thought of the training program, Curtis, ornery as ever, said, "I think it's a little boring sir". This drew a loud response from the General, which can be best understood by those who have served in the military. After his military service, he returned to Austin in 1983, and worked in the family Air Conditioning business, until 1985, when he decided to return to North Carolina. In N.C., he worked as an iron worker, then an electrician for several garage door companies. His hobbies were Scuba diving off of sunken ships, hiking and repelling off of cliffs, participating in competition shooting matches, and his Harley. When he met Lisa, she was like a beam of sunlight shining on him. and his years with her were the happiest years of his life. Then came 9-11, and soon after, the war on terrorism. Curtis' patriotism, and warrior blood, became a driving force in his life, and when given the chance to join Blackwater Security, and participate in defending our country, he did so. He said the only down side to being in the war, was being away from Lisa. While in Iraq, he often said that the majority of Iraqi's liked the Americans, and it was just the ones who had been thrown out of power, plus outside terrorists, who were the problem. Then, with six days left on his tour, Curtis gave everything he had to give He is survived by his wife, Lisa, mother and father, Marianne and Stephen Hundley, brother Frank and wife Melanie, sister Sheila and husband MSgt Edward Mercado, nieces, Chelsea and Shannon Mercado, Uncles Otto and Walter Wagenhaeuser, and mother and father-in-law Brenda and David Battle, and his many friends. As a memorial to Curtis, his family requests that when you wake up a free person, living in America, you remember Curtis, and the thousands of other brave young Americans who gave you that opportunity. Funeral arrangements are pending. Burial in N.C.