LERAY – Harriette Josephine Ebblie Curtis, 99, Evans Mills, NY, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Sunday, July 31, 2022, at Samaritan Medical Center, Watertown, NY.
Harriette was born on July 1, 1923, in Stone Mills, NY, . She is now with those she so dearly missed and loved.
Mrs. Curtis was the daughter of John W. and Clara B. Ebblie, Stone Mills, NY. Her father was a cheesemaker who lived with his wife at the family farm owned by Robert “Bert” Gailey in Stone Mills. During her youth, she helped on the farm. She attended the Stone Mills grade school, enjoying her Aunt Flossie Gailey as one of her teachers. She traveled and stayed in Clayton at a friend’s home to attend Grades 9-12. As she was only 14 when she graduated from Clayton and too young for college, she post-graduated at LaFargeville in order to apply and be accepted into Buffalo State Teachers college for elementary education. It was at LaFargeville she played saxophone which allowed her to play in the Buffalo State Orchestra and Band throughout college. In 1943, Harriette graduated from Buffalo State and then received her first teaching job as a kindergarten teacher in Spencerport, NY.
During college, she met the love of her life, S. Harold Curtis (Rochester), who
also attended the college to become an Industrial Arts teacher. In 1943, Harold enlisted in the U.S. Army and in January 1944, prior to overseas deployment, they became engaged.
During the war years, Harriette taught the first Kindergarten class at Spencerport,
NY, and sent and waited eagerly for letters from Harold. Upon Harold’s return from
overseas, they were married on August 17, 1946 at the family farm. The couple’s first teaching positions together were in Johnson City, NY. After Johnson City, they moved to NYC for a short period prior to returning to the north country near Harriette’s family.
Harriette worked as a grade school teacher in Great Bend prior to starting a family. They first lived in Philadelphia, NY and, in 1952, built a home on Route 342 to start their family. In later years, as her boys grew, she went back to teach kindergarten in Watertown at the Butterfield school.
Harriette enjoyed building her home and raising their family. As a teacher, mother
and wife, she was faithful in all she did. She spent much time at school, church and home. She loved to be with family at home, at the farm or vacationing with her husband and boys. Harriette was active in the local school PTA and in the Calcium Community Church. She taught Sunday School & VBS, helped to start and was a leader in the Watertown Christian Women’s Club, hosted Bible Studies, was a member and led the local Gideon’s Auxiliary as well hosted many strangers, missionaries and friends of the church into her home. For the past 30 years of her life, she has been a member of the Parkside Christian & Missionary Alliance Bible Church. She loved to attend church gatherings as she reached out to friends and families needing help in the community.
Harriette was an avid reader. One of her many desires was to work with the
church library where she gifted many of her books for others to enjoy. She loved her crafts, crocheting blankets for each of her grandchildren. Into her 90s, she intricately cut delicate silhouetted paper pictures of forested animals and trees with an exacto knife to be framed and given to many of her family and friends.
Harriette loved family and enjoyed her cousin’s annual reunion each year.
Harriette was predeceased by her husband, S. Harold Curtis (2019), her daughter of two weeks Christine Belle (1948), and her brother and sister-in-law Robert (Rosaline) Ebblie.
She especially loved all those who follow her in life. She leaves behind sons
Robert H. (Kathy) Curtis, Theresa NY; David J. (Marilyn) Curtis, Delmar NY; and Peter S. (Colleen) Curtis, Evans Mills, NY; Grandchildren Carol (Kevin) Ducey, Yukon, OK; David (Sara) Curtis, Dayton, OH; Cindy (Oscar) Curtis-RIvera, Guadalajara, MX; Steven (Brittany, fiancée) Curtis, Portland OR;, Laura (Jordan) Haskins, Glens Falls, NY; Sharon Curtis, Delmar NY; Mark (Rolanda) Curtis, Hyde Lake NY; Jessica (Steve) Priestley, Philadelphia NY; Lesley (Chad) Shaw, Brownville NY; Jillian Altmire, Binghamton NY; Rosan Whitmore, Niece, Stone Mills; John Ebblie, Nephew, Stone Mills; Joan Ebblie, Niece; Stone Mills; 15 great-grandchildren; and a great-great grandchild.
Calling hours will be 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5, 2022, at the family home,
27834 Nellis Road, Evans Mills, NY. Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 6, 2022, at Calcium Community Church, 26816 NYSR-342, Calcium, NY 13616. Burial will be in Stone Mills Cemetery following services.
Arrangements are made with the Frederick Brothers Funeral Home, Theresa NY.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Parkside Christian & Missionary Alliance Church, Gideon’s International, or the Stone Mills Cemetery Association.
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