Curtis Downs Obituary
Funeral Services will be held at 10:29 A.M., Saturday, August 8, 2015 in First Baptist Church of Groom with Rev. Andy Dietz and Rev. Byron Williamson officiating. Burial will follow in Groom Cemetery. Arrangements are by Schooler Funeral Home, 4100 South Georgia.
Curtis was born July 22, 1945 in Memphis, Tenn. to Betty and Curtis H. Downs Jr. The family moved to Pantex Village in 1953. As the oldest of three boys who were known as the drugstore kids, they played lots of baseball in jeans and tshirts, not uniforms as the Amarillo teams did. He graduated from Panhandle High School in 1963, and from West Texas A&M University in 1967. In January of 1971, after returning from a year in Vietnam, he married the love of his life Dondra Burgin in Groom, Texas.
As a military man, Curtis achieved two Distinguished Flying Cross Awards, the Bronze Star Medal, the Air Medal Award, Vietnam Service Medal with three stars, CH-47 Aviator Pilot, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Senior Army Aviator Badge, Joint Chief of Staff Identification Badge and many others.
Curtis was a member of the First Baptist Church of Groom where he served as Deacon and Treasurer, Groom Lions Club Treasurer for many years, currently Chairman of the Board of the Carson County Museum, Board Member of Groom Independent School District, and served on the Carson County Tax Appraisal Board.
He is preceded in death by his parents, a daughter Denai Vaughn on November 7, 2011, and a son Curtis H. Downs IV "Curt" in 1973.
Curtis is survived by his wife Dondra Downs, a son Collin Downs, two granddaughters Victoria Faith Vaughn and her father Tim Vaughn, and Alex Paulson; brothers James Downs and wife Denise, and Herky Downs and wife Lynn both of Amarillo; brothers-in-law Johnny Burgin and Donald Burgin of Amarillo, sister-in-law Lenora Nepper of Lawton, OK, and several nephews and nieces, including Melissa Estrada who was of great comfort and help in his final hours. Cancer may have overtaken his body but his spirit soars in Heaven.
The family will receive friends from 7:00-8:00 pm today at First Baptist Church in Groom, Texas.
Family suggests memorials be made to the Groom Ambulance Fund 203 Broadway Groom, Texas 79039.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
1 Entry
Willie Hensley
September 16, 2018
Curtis, think of you often and our work together. Just today was remembering you, Joe, and I comparing the things in our wallets associated with military service while working at SNL in Albuquerque. Rest assured you are not forgotten.
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