Rev. Dr. Lawrence "Larry" Ralph Curtis

Rev. Dr. Lawrence “Larry” Ralph Curtis, 87, died Tuesday, May 9 at Stonebridge at Montgomery in Skillman, NJ, where he has been a resident for the past seven years. He had had sarcoma for the past year, living fully until a month prior to his death. Born November 5, 1935, in Schenectady, NY, he was the son of Rev. Ralph A. and Barbara Miller Curtis. He met Helen Dickey of Shaker Heights, Ohio, at Middlebury College, and they were married in August, 1958. Graduating from Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley, CA, (having also studied at the University of Edinburgh), he began service as a minister in the Troy Conference of the United Methodist Church (Northeastern New York and Vermont). Pastorates in Esperance and Sloansville, NY; Amsterdam, NY; Shelburne, VT; Hudson Falls, NY; Keeseville and Harkness, NY; Niskayuna, NY; and Essex Junction, VT were followed by a term as District Superintendent for the churches in Vermont. Conference leadership positions included the historical society, camping, finance, ministry development, church building and location, trustees, social concerns . . . it would be easier to list what he didn’t do. A Doctor of Ministry degree from Drew University in 1977 added creativity in his ministry. Troy Conference awarded him the Denman Evangelism Award in 1991. He retired in 2001 following over 40 years of service. A humble man, he loved deeply and widely; his care reached from family to friends through many congregations to the wider world. He left to his heirs his love of the outdoors, his joy in reading, his continual desire to deepen faith, his “punny” sense of humor, an attitude of service, and much more. Survivors include his wife; children Catherine Houle, Cynthia Curtis-Budka (Kenneth), and Chaplain Daniel Curtis USN (Lavonne); sister Joanna Lasher (William); grandchildren Lucien (Sarah), Jesse (Keri), and David (Allison) Houle; Allyn (Edoardo Bellini) and Colin Budka; Aaron (Megan), Caleb (Constance), and Sarah (Kyle Krueger) Curtis; great-grandchildren Kaia and William, Kiernan and Ella, Eleanor, and Aden. He was predeceased by his parents, son-in-law David Houle, and grandchildren Carol Houle and Jonathan Curtis. Funeral services will be held at Princeton United Methodist Church, 7 Vandeventer Avenue, Princeton, NJ 08542, on Saturday, May 13, at 1:30 pm; and at Grace United Methodist Church, 130 Maple Street, Essex Junction, VT 05452, on Monday, May 15, at 12:30 pm. Burial will follow at Fairview Cemetery, Essex Junction. Memorial contributions may be sent to the Princeton United Methodist Church, Grace United Methodist Church, or an organization of one's choice. 

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