CURTIS, Ardelle Jones 1889-1939

CURTIS, JONES, FENN, BRCKETT, DAVIDSON

Posted By: Michael Kearney (email)
Date: 7/31/2002 at 20:26:54

The Clinton Herald Tuesday December 26, 1939 p. 5 Simple funeral services for Mrs. Eugene J. Curtis, 50, who died Saturday evening in her home, "Hillcrest," after an extended illness, were held at 3 o'clock this afternoon in the home with the Rev. Bruce McCullough, pastor of the First Presbyterian church, officiating. Attending the services were scores of friends from Clinton and others from various cities within a wide radius who had come to pay respect to Mrs. Curtis' memory. Pallbearers were G.A. Jensen, R.V. Mann, C.K. Paine, C.W. Ocker, E.E. Green and I.H. Ramsey. Burial was in Springdale cemetery. Announcement Saturday night of Mrs. Curtis' death saddened hundreds of persons who had known her, including many who had shared in the multitude of kindnesses which had been her constant pleasure to bestow. Outside of her devotion to her home and family Mrs. Curtis had taken deep interest in the work of the First Presbyterian church, serving willingly in whatever capacities might be requested. She had been in charge of the church cradle roll since 1924 and from that time until the last week of her life every child born to members of the church received a cradle basket filled with flowers as a gift from her. Mrs. Curtis, the former Miss Ardelle Jones, was born Nov. 21, 1889, in Burlington, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Jones. Her father was a builder of the first electric steet railway in the world and became nationally known as a public utilities operator. During his later years and prior to his death in 1927 he had been a breeder of driving horses. The family moved in 1890 to Memphis, Tenn., where Mrs. Curtis received her early education. She later was graduated from St. Margaret's school, Waterbury, Conn., and was married Nov. 16, 1910 to Mr. Curtis. Since that time she made her home in Clinton, her charm and gracious personality endearing her to a wide circle of friends. Mrs. Curtis is survived by her husband, two daughters, Mrs. W.L. Fenn, West Hartford, Conn., and Mrs. Thomas S. Brackett, Jr. Minneapolis, and two sons, Eugene Judson Curtis, Jr., a sophomore student at Yale university, and Charles Franklin Curtis II, a student at Avon Old Farms,, Avon, Conn. She is also survived by two grandchildren. Frances Curtis Fenn and Thomas S. Brackett, Jr., two brothers, M.C. Jones, Memphis, and F.H. Jones, Pulaski, Tenn; a sister, Mrs. Norman Davidson, Old Greenwich, Conn., and ten nieces and nephews. She was preceeded in death by her parents, both of whom were well-known in Clinton. It was Mrs. Curtis' wish that with so much suffering in the world, her friends who had been so kind during her lifetime and so thoughtful during her long illness, should not send flowers after she had gone. She hoped, instead, that anyone who wished to express affection for her would let the expression take the form of a gift to either of Clinton's hospitals, such gifts to be exclusively to improve the facilities of the women's and children's wards in the hospitals. Announcements relative to Mrs. Curtis' wish were read Sunday from the pulpits of the various Catholic and Protestant churches of the city. Among those attending the funeral were Mr. and Mrs. H.A. Anderson, Chicago; Mrs. Arthur S. Lytton, Winetka, Ill,; Mr. and Mrs. F.W. Coan, Minneapolis; Mr. and Mrs. Elbert L. Carpenter, Minneapolis; Mr. and Mrs. S.S. Cook, Evanston, Ill.; Mr. and Mrs. U.M. Davies, Oshkosh, Wis.; W.E. Curtis,Wausau, Wis.; Mr. and Mrs. S.O. Hall, Chicago; Mr. and Mrs. H.W. Murphy, La Grange, Ill.; Mr. and Mrs. T. Chalmers Curtis, Petosky, Mich.; Mr.and Mrs. Ben Alexander, Lake Forest, Ill.; Mr. and Mrs. John Alexander and John Alexander, Jr., Aurora, Ill.; and Mr. and Mrs. A.G. Heidrick, Miss Dorothy Heidrick and Arthur Heidrick,Jr., Peoria, Ill.