Curtis Harold Freeman Jr.

1931 - 2017

Curtis H. Freeman Jr., 85, passed away on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017. Funeral: 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, at Lucas Funeral Chapel in Hurst. Interment: Bluebonnet Hills Memorial Park. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24, at the funeral home. Curtis, the youngest son and fourth child born to the late Curtis H. Freeman Sr. and Verta Plummer Freeman, was born Aug. 4, 1931, in Rosedale, Miss. He grew up along the river in both Mississippi and in Grafton, Ill., moving to Grafton with his mother and siblings when he was only a young boy. He attended High School in Grafton and Jerseyville, Ill., where he played basketball and was on the honor roll year after year, graduating in 1949. Curtis enlisted in the United States Air Force and served from Jan. 6, 1951 to Jan. 5, 1955, where he performed the duties as an aircraft electronic-communication repairman at Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth. In 1954, during Operation Castle in the Pacific Proving Grounds near the Eniwetok Atoll, he maintained equipment on aircraft that were used to relay long distance communications during tests of high yield thermonuclear hydrogen bombs. Once he returned to Carswell Air Force Base, he met Beverly Ann McBride, whom he married April 23, 1955, in Oklahoma City, Okla. On March 21, 1955, Curtis began what was to be an almost lifelong career with the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) which would later become what is known today as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). In the first five years with the CAA, Curtis, with his new wife, traveled throughout the Southern and Southeastern United States installing electronic equipment that supported the nation's air traffic control system. During this time, two sons were born, Steven and Michael. In 1961, the family made their permanent home in Hurst, Texas, and soon after, another son, David, was born. Curtis continued to work for the FAA at the Southwest Regional Headquarters and also at the Dallas Fort Worth Airport, serving as supervisor and manager throughout the years in numerous positions, eventually retiring from the FAA in 1991. Not letting retirement stop him from working, Curtis immediately began working as a rehired annuitant with the FAA and then as a contractor with Lockheed Martin, supporting the FAA, finally retiring in 2011, at the age of 79. Curtis very much enjoyed his work with the FAA and was proud of his career. He also enjoyed gardening, working at his Granbury lake home and traveling back to Grafton for family reunions. He and Beverly loved to travel, traveling to many places, including visiting Hawaii 15 times and taking annual trips to Branson, Mo., and the Texas Hill country. He was a lover of music with Frank Sinatra, Jack Jones, Andy Williams and Steve Lawrence being amongst his favorites. Survivors: Sons, Steven (Pam), Michael and David (Melanie); seven grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.