Lowell Curtis

Lowell Victor Curtis, 93, died March 8, 2014 at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines.

Vic was born July 7, 1920 to Olin and Alice Curtis at Norwood in Lucas County, Iowa. He worked on the farm with his dad until 1941 when he went to San Diego, California. There he trained and worked at Consolidated Aircraft during the war as a riveter on the left wing stations 7-12 of B-24 Liberator Bombers. He married his high school sweetheart, Ardys Ashby, on May 1, 1943 in San Diego. He and a friend opened Deluxe Auto Wash where they did undercoating and polishing for local auto dealers including
Ford, Tucker, Mercury, Studebaker, Lincoln, Chrysler, and Kaiser. After returning to Iowa to farm again in 1951, he changed to mechanic work in Des Moines in 1954. He worked at Yarham Brake Service for five years; then Colonial Bakery maintaining their truck fleet for 10 years. From there he went to Dodge truck service garage, and then David Mattson Company building Continental engines for various kinds of machinery. He also rebuilt cars at home as side work.

His hobbies were the same as his work – cars and airplanes. In 1946 he took flying lessons and got his Private pilot’s license in a Piper J-3 Cub at Brown Field in La Mesa. Just before his 70th birthday, he took a few refresher lessons at the Chariton airport and soloed again on his birthday. He bought a 1940 Luscombe and later a 1967 Cessna 172, repaired them, and started flying again, enjoying it immensely for another twenty years.

Above all else, Vic took care of his family, lived life on his own terms, and had fun doing it all. He knew how everything worked and had a better method for every solution. Vic and Ardys were ballroom dancers, loved traveling, and were true sweethearts and partners throughout his long and happy life.

Vic is survived by his wife, Ardys of Des Moines; daughter Susan (Rick Knight) of Des Moines; son Jim (Gayle) of Chariton; granddaughter Sarah (Joshua Michel) and great-granddaughter Madelynne Grace of Ames; and grandson Joshua of Chariton. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Verne.

Funeral services will be at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 12, 2014 at Bloomfield United Methodist Church, 5930 Indianola Road. The family will greet friends starting at 12:30 p.m. at the church. A private family burial will be held at a later date.

Memorial contributions may be made to the family to be shared between Bloomfield United Methodist Church, and The Collings Foundation-Keep The B-24 Flying.

Condolences may be expressed at:
www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com

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