Luther “Van” Curtis, 84 years, 8 months, and 11 days old, passed away on March 5, 2025, at Kabul Nursing Home in Cabool, Missouri.
Van was born at home in Douglas County, Missouri, June 25, 1940 to Luther Burbank and Omega Mae (Johnston) Curtis. Van was the seventh of nine children. He was raised on the Curtis family farm in Drury, Missouri. Van attended a small country school in Drury through the eighth grade then went to high school in Mtn. Grove, Missouri.
As a young man, Van moved to Buffalo, Iowa and worked at a factory in Davenport, Iowa, making tractor parts. In 1960, Van began working at the Oscar Mayer plant.
Van and Linda Tucker were united in marriage on June 10, 1961 in Illinois. Together they were blessed with two sons and, later, a grandson.
Van and Linda lived in Buffalo, Iowa, where they built their first home. Van and his sons loved to hunt rabbits, squirrels, and pheasants. He and his brothers and brother in law loved to go fishing. He also enjoyed pruning fruit trees at his father in law’s orchard. Van loved taking his oldest son to play violin and son’s sports games.
After twenty years at Oscar Mayer, Van decided to move back to Missouri to farm. He raised chickens, beef cattle, and feeder pigs. He always raised a big garden, and he and Linda canned lots of produce. He also decided to build a new house and garage, and he did just that.
Van was preceded in death by his parents; siblings, James Hubert Curtis, Byron Wayne Curtis, August Voydal, Vera Mae (Curtis) Harvey, and Elzie Curtis.
Van is survived and lovingly remembered by his wife, Linda of 63 years; two sons, Jeffrey Van Curtis and Todd Matthew Curtis; one grandson, Todd Luther Curtis; one sister, Clara Irene (Ferris) Lawler; two brothers, Roy Charles (Carol) Curtis, and Lonnie Ray (Dorothy) Curtis; and many other relatives and friends.
Funeral services for Van will be Saturday, March 8, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. in the Clinkingbeard Chapel, Ava, Missouri. Visitation will be at 9:00 a.m. until service time. Officiating will be Pastor Gail Scherer. Burial will be in the Pleasant Home Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Pleasant Home Cemetery in Drury, Missouri.
