Buel Curtis

MATTHEWS, Mo. -- Buel Curtis, 84, of Matthews died Sunday, Nov. 18, 2007, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

He was born July 13, 1923, in Waverly, Tenn., son of A.R. and Ollie Elizabeth Winters Curtis. He and Verble L. Kelso were married Feb. 22, 1942, in New Madrid, Mo.

Curtis was a farmer and cement construction contractor and partowner of Curtis Brothers Construction Co. He was a member of Murray Lane Baptist Church.

He served with the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Caribou during World War II.

Survivors include a son, Alvin Curtis of North Ogden, Utah; two daughters, Donna Erickson of Oakland, Calif., Phyllis Atkinson of Plainfield, Ill.; five brothers, Pete Curtis of Matthews, Perry Curtis of Kingman, Ariz., J.H. Curtis of San Diego, Don Curtis of Sikeston, Mo., Jerry Curtis of Columbia, Mo.; two sisters, Ruby Silverthorn of Sikeston, Barbara Lasters of Oran, Mo.; 20 grandchildren; and 32 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by three brothers and two sisters.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel in Sikeston.

The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the chapel, with the Rev. Kelley Grubbs officiating. Burial will be in Missouri State Veterans Cemetery at Bloomfield with full military honors provided by Missouri Military Honor Guard.