Thomas Curtis

CURTIS, Thomas Benjamin, PhD

"Omnia meruisse te neque omnia contigisse mihi ut praestarem."

You have deserved all and can never be fully repaid…

Dr. Thomas B. Curtis, beloved husband, father, grandfather, teacher and friend, departed life peacefully on May 22, 2025, aged eighty-six, at his home on Lake Santa Fe in Keystone Heights, Florida. By his side at his passing was his beloved wife of 40 years, Sandra.

Tom was the cherished son of Augustus T. and Ruth Curtis. He was preceded in death by his beloved brother, Richard "Churchill" Curtis. He leaves behind three sons, Tom (Mary Ann), Augie (Zina) and Philip; and a stepson, Jeff Hyde, who he loved as his own; as well as many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He also is fondly remembered by his first wife, Hermeine; and by a multitude of others whose lives were enriched by his presence, including the thousands of students who knew him in his 50 years as a teacher of world languages, philosophy and literature.

Tom began his teaching career at Christ School in Arden, NC, in 1963. After three years, Tom moved to Chapel Hill, where he received a PhD in Classics at the University of North Carolina. From there, Tom became a professor at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville for four years before returning to Christ School in 1973. Tom spent 11 more years at Christ School, which included a year as a Fulbright exchange teacher in Freiburg, Germany. Soon after his return from Germany, Tom moved on to Atlanta, GA, where we spent the latter years of his career, as a teacher at the Westminster School in Atlanta. His extraordinary wit, enthusiasm and devotion to his students left an indelible impression on all who knew him.

Tom retired in 2014. Afterwards, he kept up a continual study of ancient history from his house overlooking Lake Santa Fe. He researched ancient writers and philosophers from St. Augustine to Galen, Hyperides to Arsinoe, and authored five books related to notable figures and events from antiquity. Tom surrounded himself in the operas of the composer, Verdi, as he studied and worked in his office. He had a Latin quote handy for every circumstance; and anyone with time to listen would enjoy a walk with him down the roadways of the ancient past, where a good portion of his heart always resided.

Above all, Tom's life was grounded and bound in his 40-year love affair with Sandra, who he adored dearly. Their lives revolved around each other in mutual ties of affection and interest, and, as in all great marriages, their two minds became one.

Tom's kindness, warmth and humanity will be remembered by all who knew him. He was loving by nature and civilized in the most authentic meaning of the word, and he sought out the good in everyone he knew, and found it without fail.

We will miss him greatly, but with joy we imagine him today, sipping on a strong coffee, listening to Leonard Warren sing Rigoletto, and chatting with St. Augustine about the City of God.

A Celebration of Life will take place at Tom and Sandra's lake home in Keystone Heights, FL, on Saturday, June 21, at 10:00 AM. For details and to RSVP, please contact thomasbcurtis4@gmail.com. It was Tom's wish that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to The "Doc" Curtis Scholarship Fund at Christ School. That mailing address is 500 Christ School Rd., Asheville, NC 28704, or to donate online, please visit www.christschool.org/giving/give