Curtis James Ingham

Lake Arrowhead – Curtis passed at his home in his favorite recliner on the morning of November 3, 2025. Born June 11, 1939 in Cleveland, Ohio to Geraldine M. James and John H. Ingham. Curtis arrived in California with his parents in 1941. The family subsequently grew with siblings Keith (deceased), Scott, followed by twins Hal (deceased) and Shelley.
Curtis realized his lifelong love of flying while in high school with lessons at Van Nuys Airport. In his senior year at Canoga Park High School, he met a Navy recruiter who offered a path to flying for the Navy. He attended Los Angeles Valley Junior College during the school year and attended Navy schools in the summer. He finally was assigned to supercarrier USS Forrestal flying A4s during the cold war. After serving six years in the Navy, Curtis began a 32-year career with American Airlines, retiring in 1999. He maintained his proficiency as a private pilot, earning qualifications to operate multiple types of aircraft. Curtis also enjoyed dropping skydivers and meeting the challenges as a test pilot completing experiments for the USAF.
During high school, college, and in the Navy, he continued with hobbies: gymnastics, choir, ballet danseur, photography, fishing, competitive running (most of the major marathons) and bicycling. His big love was catching a thermal in his glider flying over the Tehachapi Mountains and surrounding deserts. As Curtis aged and was no longer flying, he still lived in the house he built in 1976 overlooking the lake at 5,500' with a 180-degree view. He often said, "I live in a tree fort" and was still in the air while he enjoyed watching the ravens play, hawks catching thermals, and the various prey birds sitting on a certain pine tree.
So, if you no longer see the gray/silver mustached man running the circumference of the lake, sometimes known as Grumpy, Foamer, or the Colonel, know that his family and friends miss him too. The family will hold a private celebration of life November 15th to say goodbye to our beloved patriarch.
Curtis is survived by his wife Suzann Ingham; siblings Scott Ingham and Shelley Allen; his first wife Nancy Ingham, mother of his three children, Ariane Michelle Ingham, Andrea Lynn Ingham, and Crissa L. Ingham; grandchildren Gregory Lent, Akyll Boyer, Charis Tanguy, Candra Smith, Serena Kelley and Mia Jane Potterf; great grandchildren Maddox Smith, Clara Smith and Georgianna Smith, and niece Jill Soltis.