Singleton and Related Genealogy Pages
A history of many families.
1927 - 2021 (93 years)| Name | Horace Brogdon CURTIS [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9] | |
| Suffix | Jr. | |
| Birth | 17 Sep 1927 | Tuomey Hospital, Sumter, Sumter County, South Carolina  [10] |
| Gender | Male | |
| HIST | HORACE BROGDON CURTIS JR. Posted Thursday, February 25, 2021 6:00 am Horace Brogdon Curtis Jr., 93, died on Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021, at Covenant Place. He was born on Sept. 17, 1927, at Tuomey Hospital, Sumter, to Horace Brogdon and Eleanor Girard Kolb Curtis. His paternal grandparents were Horace Beach and Maggie Brogdon Curtis. Maternal grandparents were Robert Jehu and Irene Girard Geddings Kolb. With the exception of college and Naval service, he spent his entire life in Sumter. Following high school, he entered Clemson College in 1944, the month before his 17th birthday, completing freshman courses in engineering before volunteering for service in the U.S. Navy in August 1945, at the close of World War II, serving on active duty at Camp Peary, Virginia, until August 1946, with honorable discharge as a third class petty officer. He re-enlisted in the Naval Reserve for a four-year term as a yeoman third class, on inactive duty. He returned to Clemson for the Fall term of 1946, transferring in Spring of 1947 to the University of South Carolina, Columbia, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in June 1949. While at the university, he became a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity. He subsequently served as a board member of the USC Alumni Association and of the USC Sumter Educational Foundation. After college, he returned home to join his mother and sisters in the operation of the family business, Sumter Music House, pending recall to active duty in the Navy during the Korean Conflict, with all reserve enlistments having been extended by the president for one year. He re-entered the active Navy in early October 1950 and was assigned to the Naval Receiving Station, Charleston. At the end of an extended enlistment period, he was discharged on Aug. 20, 1951. He was a 50-year member of American Legion Post 15. Returning to Sumter, he accepted a position with Geo. H. Hurst & Sons, furniture dealers and funeral directors, staying until 1959, when he became manager of Sumter Office Supply Co. In 1953, Dorothy Juanita Freeman moved to Sumter from Chimney Rock, North Carolina, to work as a medical technologist at the Shaw Air Force Base Hospital. Juanita and Horace married at the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration, Chimney Rock. Helen was born in 1955, Steve in 1957, Rick in 1958 and Bobby in 1960. Juanita died in 2008. All of the children graduated from the public schools of Sumter and from the University of South Carolina, Columbia. When the city clerk and treasurer position with the City of Sumter became open, Horace applied, was hired, and in 1961, began a career in local government, from which he retired in January 1990, after serving 13 years as city manager. He was a life member of the S.C. City-County Management Association, of which he was a past president. He also was a former member of International City Management Association. In the early 1980s, to provide public employees in South Carolina the opportunity to conveniently defer a portion of their earnings and the taxes thereon, the state legislature created the State Deferred Compensation Commission to manage a deferred compensation program. Several seats on the commission, by statute, were to be filled by specific office holders and others on appointment by the governor upon recommendation of the Budget and Control Board. Horace was appointed to represent municipal employees on the original commission and reappointed for consecutive terms in that category, until his retirement from the city, whereupon he was appointed to represent retired public employees for several terms during the next 10 years. For some 40 years, he was an active member of the Sumter Optimist Club, serving in various capacities, including president. He was a life member of Optimist International. He was appointed to the advisory board of the Sumter Chapter of The Salvation Army, and he served for more than 20 years, filling various offices, including that of board chairman. He also was a past chairman of the Boy's Club board. He was a past chairman of the Henry Shelor District, Boy Scouts of America, and also served a term as advancement chairman for the Pee Dee Area Council. As a 50-year-plus member of Trinity United Methodist Church, Horace served on the administrative board and many committees. He was lay leader, choir member, Sunday School teacher for both youth and adult classes, and was a past president of the FaHoLo Sunday School Class and of the Boyle Bible Class. Surviving are his children, Helen Curtis Hatfield (Burt) of Sumter, Stephen G. Curtis (Betsy) of Manning, Richard B. Curtis (Kathryn) of Greenville and Robert F. Curtis (SaraLynn) of Columbia; 12 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. Also surviving are two sisters, Margaret Curtis Ward and Jane Curtis Kirby Ward, both of Sumter; and his dear friend, Jule Land of Greenville. In addition to his parents and his wife, he was predeceased by a sister, Eleanor Curtis Rogers Boone. Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday at Sumter Cemetery with the Rev. Joseph James officiating. Memorials may be made to Trinity United Methodist Church, 226 W. Liberty St., Sumter, SC 29150. Online condolences may be made at www.sumterfunerals.com. Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, 221 Broad St., Sumter, is in charge of the arrangements, (803) 775-9386. HORACE BROGDON CURTIS JR. • 1927 - 2021 Sumter remembers former city manager, 'Southern gentleman' Horace Brogdon Curtis Jr. A portrait of Horace Brogdon Curtis Jr. hangs outside the Sumter City Council chambers. Posted Tuesday, March 30, 2021 6:00 am BY SHELBIE GOULDING shelbie@theitem.com In February, the Sumter community said farewell to a man who was known to be a Southern gentleman to all and served his community for almost 14 years as city manager. Horace Brogdon Curtis Jr., born on Sept. 17, 1927, was a lifelong Sumter resident. He worked for the City of Sumter in 1961 for several years as the city clerk and treasurer until he was promoted to assistant city manager. He became city manager in 1976. "I went to work in '78, and he was city manager," said Assistant City Manager Al Harris. "He had such a gentleman way of doing everything." Harris worked with Curtis for 12 years until he retired from local government in 1990. He said he was an easygoing, laid-back boss who got things done. "He was to the point and would let you know," he said. "I just enjoyed working for him because he was such a nice guy and very good manager." Harris also knew Curtis as a man who could handle money well, which made him the best at what he did when funding was tight for the City of Sumter in the '80s. "I've seen him in the mailroom working on the old mailing machine on several occasions. He wouldn't call nobody or pay nobody. He was going to get it fixed himself," he said. Harris witnessed Curtis work with what he had to make the community better. "He'd rub two pennies together," he said, laughing. Former city manager Talmadge Tobias, who followed Curtis' tenure, agreed that his friend was smart when it came to funding. He said Curtis taught him everything he knew. "He brought me to Sumter," Tobias said. "I owe him everything. He gave me opportunities to learn and to grow, and I would not have had the opportunity to be city manager if it wasn't for Horace Curtis." Tobias was working for the State Highway Department in Columbia before he worked for Sumter. He didn't know Curtis, but when Curtis called and asked Tobias to work for him in Sumter as the finance director, he couldn't say no. "He was a wonderful, true Southern gentleman," Tobias said. "He was just respected by everyone. (Curtis) was well known around the state in city and county government. He contributed greatly to the growth of Sumter through his work." Tobias thought of Curtis not only as a business associate and mentor, but also as a friend, especially when they would travel to conferences together across the state. Former Sumter Mayor Steve Creech, who worked with Curtis when he was city manager, also thought of him as the best travel companion. "We would go on these national league of city meetings," he said. "We'd arrive at whatever place we were staying, and within two to three hours, Mr. Curtis knew where all the free food was, where all the free drinks were and where they were giving away free swag. He was delightful to travel with." To him, Curtis was a great man who was conservative, had a great sense of humor and a love for his community. "He managed the city resources like he managed his own," Creech said. "We need more Horace Curtises in this world." Curtis was a man of many talents who served not only his community and church, but he also served his country in the U.S. Navy and the Naval Reserve. He was a 50-year member of the American Legion Post 15 in Sumter. He was a life member and past president of the South Carolina City-County Management Association and a former member of International City Management Association. For about 40 years, Curtis was also an active member of the Sumter Optimist Club, serving in various capacities, including president; a life member of Optimist International; appointed to the advisory board of the Sumter Chapter of The Salvation Army; a past chairman of the Boys Club board; and served as a board member of the USC Alumni Association and of the USC Sumter Educational Foundation. Curtis was also well-known at the state level, and the governor at the time appointed him to serve on the State Deferred Compensation Commission, representing municipal employees until his retirement from the City of Sumter. The South Carolina House of Representatives passed a House resolution bill, titled Horace Curtis Sympathy, honoring his service to the state on March 3. [8, 9] | |
| MILI | He volunteered for service in the U.S. Navy in August 1945, at the close of World War II, serving on active duty at Camp Peary, Virginia, until August 1946, with honorable discharge as a third class petty officer. He re-enlisted in the Naval Reserve for a four-year term as a yeoman third class, on inactive duty. pending recall to active duty in the Navy during the Korean Conflict, with all reserve enlistments having been extended by the president for one year. He re-entered the active Navy in early October 1950 and was assigned to the Naval Receiving Station, Charleston. At the end of an extended enlistment period, he was discharged on Aug. 20, 1951. [8] | |
| _UID | 009DC70F553E40AAADDD68255FC2E738475C | |
| Death | 24 Feb 2021 | Covenant Place on Carter Road, Sumter County, South Carolina |
| Burial | 28 Feb 2021 | Sumter Cemetery, 700 W. Oakland Avenue, Sumter, Sumter County, South Carolina [8] |
|
||
| Person ID | I83644 | Singleton and Related Families |
| Last Modified | 30 Mar 2021 | |
| Father | Horace Brogdon CURTIS, Sr., b. 20/29 Oct 1895, Sumter, Sumter County, South Carolina d. 22 Apr 1938, Sumter, Sumter County, South Carolina (Age 42 years) | |
| Mother | Eleanor Girard KOLB, b. 20/21 Feb 1894, Sumter County, South Carolina d. 2 Oct 1987, Sumter, Sumter County, South Carolina (Age 93 years) | |
| _UID | 281ECFDE7F054AEDA84F980A7170F5DFFC46 | |
| _UID | 281ECFDE7F054AEDA84F980A7170F5DFFC46 | |
| Family ID | F58078 | Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Family | Dorothy Juanita FREEMAN, b. 23 Oct 1933, Henderson County, North Carolina d. 27 Aug 2008, Tuomey Regional Medical Center, Sumter, Sumter County, South Carolina (Age 74 years) | |||||||||
| Marriage | The Episcopal Church of the Transfiguation, Chimney Rock, North Carolina [8] |
|||||||||
| _UID | A04561851F414D01B0B480C4591A058019E0 | |||||||||
| _UID | A04561851F414D01B0B480C4591A058019E0 | |||||||||
| Children |
|
|||||||||
| Family ID | F58077 | Group Sheet | Family Chart | ||||||||
| Last Modified | 26 Feb 2021 | |||||||||
| Notes |
| Sources |
