Phyllis Jones Curtis age 97, passed away peacefully November 3, 2019 at Citrus Manor Assisted Living Center in Mesa, AZ. She was born in St. Johns, AZ, August 22, 1922 to Hyrum and Mary Patterson Jones. She attended St. John’s schools, graduated Valedictorian of her high school class and worked as a social worker for a short time. She later went to Gila Junior College (now Eastern Arizona College) in Thatcher, AZ where she served as Student Body Vice President and graduated with honors. There she met her eternal companion, Dean A. Curtis and 4 years later married while he was serving in the US Air Corps in Lincoln, Nebraska during WWII. They were later sealed in the Salt Lake Temple. While raising her family, she continued her educational pursuits and later graduated with honors with a bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University. She loved music and was an accomplished pianist and played the saxophone. She filled a full time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with her husband in the Canadian Winnipeg Mission.
She is preceded in death by her husband Dr. Dean A. Curtis, grandson Jeremy Ronald Curtis and great grandson Stephen James Curtis, her parents, brother Lawrence, sisters Thelma, Helen, and Marguerite. She is survived by her children Kenneth Dean Curtis, Janis Marie Gulledge, Ronald Cleve Curtis, Dr. Thomas J. Curtis and Deanna Lynn Cooley. She has 38 grandchildren, 80 great grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren.
A visitation will be held Thursday 6-8 PM, November 14th at Bunker’s University Chapel, 3529 E. University Drive, Mesa, AZ and funeral service Saturday, November 16th at the Church Street Chapel, located at 3610 W. Church Street, Thatcher, AZ at 11:00 AM with a visitation at 10:00 AM.
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