Obituary for Juanita R. Curtis (Shiver)
With profound sadness we announce the passing of Juanita R. Curtis, our loving and devoted mother and friend to all whose lives she touched, on Dec. 9, 2020.
She was in her 89th year.Born (at home) in the small community of Tarentum, Alabama in 1931, she witnessed incredible changes to her world through the years. She married Mack A. Curtis of Troy, Alabama who preceded her in death in 1996.
Being raised in rural Alabama, they relocated soon after marriage, eventually living in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area where they both worked for many years as federal employees until their retirement, when they moved back to their beloved south to be near family and long-time friends in Troy, Alabama.
Juanita came from humble beginnings, but was blessed to live an incredibly full life, travelling abroad numerous times for work, for adventure, and as a missionary sponsored by the Arlington Church of Christ in Arlington, Virginia. In her work in Washington D.C. with DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) she proudly served as Executive Administrative Assistant for many years under top government scientists Dr. Robert Khan and Dr. Vinton Cerf, known as “fathers of the Internet” who co-designed TCP/IP protocols and the basic architecture of the Internet. One of her most exciting memories was being able to send one of the very first Internet “messages” to Europe via the Arpanet (early Internet). Her southern roots served her well and she never lost her genteel southern accent, politeness, and hospitality which were endearing to her colleagues and her social circle in the D.C. area.
She was also a magnificent southern cook, kept an immaculate and beautiful home, and enjoyed good fellowship and fun with her many friends and church family.
She had a servant’s heart and as her husband Mack used to say, she “knew how to pop her coattails!” She was the epitome of a classy southern lady, and without raising her voice was at times the proverbial “iron fist in the velvet glove”, full of resolve, tenacity, courage, and endurance, and kindness – always kindness. She was also a music lover who played the piano and had a sweet clear voice with an ear for harmony that she passed on to her children.
Until her health condition of Alzheimer’s (diagnosed in her later years) made it impossible, she was an active member of the Church of Christ in every place she resided, including Collegedale Church of Christ in Troy, Alabama.
She was a woman of faith who lived and loved the gospel of Jesus Christ. Her life was a living example of Ephesians 4:32 — “And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.” She loved deeply, and was both empathetic and generous - and she especially loved her family immensely and instilled strong values in them that have served them well.
She was the daughter of the late A.A. and Bennie Lou Shiver.
She was survived by and was the beloved mother of Mack “Andy” Curtis (Leslie), Rebecca “Becky” S. Curtis (Ginger), and Lydia Curtis Dillingham (Paul). She was the beloved grandmother of Alicia Roberts (Larry), Teresa Mathews, Curtis Dillingham, Andrea Dillingham; and great-grandmother of Jamie and Laura Mathews. She was survived by her sister, Sue Brown, her brother and his wife, Max and Judy Shiver, her sister and husband, Martha and Cliff Lyons, and her brother Bill Shiver. All of these she loved and touched deeply. She will be dearly missed and forever in our hearts.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to:
“Collegedale Christian Student Center” at 701 Dr. John M. Long Avenue, Troy, AL 36081.
Graveside services for Mrs. Juanita Curtis will be held at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, December 12, 2020 at Hamilton Crossroads Church of Christ Cemetery with Minister Bobby Templin officiating. Burial will follow in Hamilton Cross Roads Church of Christ Cemetery with Skeen Funeral Home of Troy directing. Visitation will be held from 1:30 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. Saturday, December 12, 2020 at Skeen Funeral Home in Troy. Social distancing and masks will be observed. Due to COVID19 this will be a private service and visitation.
Online condolences may be expressed through https://skeenfuneralhome.com/book-of-memories/4453634/Curtis-Juanita/index.php
She was in her 89th year.Born (at home) in the small community of Tarentum, Alabama in 1931, she witnessed incredible changes to her world through the years. She married Mack A. Curtis of Troy, Alabama who preceded her in death in 1996.
Being raised in rural Alabama, they relocated soon after marriage, eventually living in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area where they both worked for many years as federal employees until their retirement, when they moved back to their beloved south to be near family and long-time friends in Troy, Alabama.
Juanita came from humble beginnings, but was blessed to live an incredibly full life, travelling abroad numerous times for work, for adventure, and as a missionary sponsored by the Arlington Church of Christ in Arlington, Virginia. In her work in Washington D.C. with DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) she proudly served as Executive Administrative Assistant for many years under top government scientists Dr. Robert Khan and Dr. Vinton Cerf, known as “fathers of the Internet” who co-designed TCP/IP protocols and the basic architecture of the Internet. One of her most exciting memories was being able to send one of the very first Internet “messages” to Europe via the Arpanet (early Internet). Her southern roots served her well and she never lost her genteel southern accent, politeness, and hospitality which were endearing to her colleagues and her social circle in the D.C. area.
She was also a magnificent southern cook, kept an immaculate and beautiful home, and enjoyed good fellowship and fun with her many friends and church family.
She had a servant’s heart and as her husband Mack used to say, she “knew how to pop her coattails!” She was the epitome of a classy southern lady, and without raising her voice was at times the proverbial “iron fist in the velvet glove”, full of resolve, tenacity, courage, and endurance, and kindness – always kindness. She was also a music lover who played the piano and had a sweet clear voice with an ear for harmony that she passed on to her children.
Until her health condition of Alzheimer’s (diagnosed in her later years) made it impossible, she was an active member of the Church of Christ in every place she resided, including Collegedale Church of Christ in Troy, Alabama.
She was a woman of faith who lived and loved the gospel of Jesus Christ. Her life was a living example of Ephesians 4:32 — “And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.” She loved deeply, and was both empathetic and generous - and she especially loved her family immensely and instilled strong values in them that have served them well.
She was the daughter of the late A.A. and Bennie Lou Shiver.
She was survived by and was the beloved mother of Mack “Andy” Curtis (Leslie), Rebecca “Becky” S. Curtis (Ginger), and Lydia Curtis Dillingham (Paul). She was the beloved grandmother of Alicia Roberts (Larry), Teresa Mathews, Curtis Dillingham, Andrea Dillingham; and great-grandmother of Jamie and Laura Mathews. She was survived by her sister, Sue Brown, her brother and his wife, Max and Judy Shiver, her sister and husband, Martha and Cliff Lyons, and her brother Bill Shiver. All of these she loved and touched deeply. She will be dearly missed and forever in our hearts.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to:
“Collegedale Christian Student Center” at 701 Dr. John M. Long Avenue, Troy, AL 36081.
Graveside services for Mrs. Juanita Curtis will be held at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, December 12, 2020 at Hamilton Crossroads Church of Christ Cemetery with Minister Bobby Templin officiating. Burial will follow in Hamilton Cross Roads Church of Christ Cemetery with Skeen Funeral Home of Troy directing. Visitation will be held from 1:30 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. Saturday, December 12, 2020 at Skeen Funeral Home in Troy. Social distancing and masks will be observed. Due to COVID19 this will be a private service and visitation.
Online condolences may be expressed through https://skeenfuneralhome.com/book-of-memories/4453634/Curtis-Juanita/index.php