Josephine Mae Curtis

Josephine M. Curtis, of Vista Woods at Pennsylvania Place in Ottumwa, passed away Friday, January 19, 2007, at the age of 103.

Funeral services were held 10:30 AM, Wednesday, January 24, 2007 at Behner Funeral Home in Fairfield with Rev. Dave Peterson officiating. Burial was in Batavia Cemetery in Batavia, IA.

Memorials may be made to the Josephine Teeter Curtis Memorial Fund at the Fairfield Public Library.

Cards and memorials may be sent c/o:
1535 Gilcrest Avenue
East Lansing, MI 48823

Josephine Mae Teeter Curtis was born October 27, 1903, in Jefferson County, IA, near Libertyville to George B. and Ollie (Steele) Teeter. She lived all her life in Jefferson and Wapello Counties. After graduating from Fairfield High School in 1923, she taught in rural schools until marrying Chester Curtis in Agency on April 28, 1929. She spent her married life on Wapello County farms near Batavia. Chester Curtis died September 6, 1972.

Throughout her life, Josephine Curtis was active in numerous church and community organizations. She taught Sunday school classes for many years and served in various offices of the Batavia Methodist Church, including President, Historian, and in other offices of United Methodist Women. While serving as Church Historian until 1996, she co-authored a history of the church from its beginnings to 1981, and thereafter annually recorded church events.

Before and after retiring to Fairfield in 1974, Josephine Curtis was a member and officer of numerous voluntary and civic organizations, including the Helping Hand Club, Our Day Out, Batavia Literary Guild, Women's Club of Jefferson County, Church Women United of Jefferson County, and the Association for Retarded Citizens. From 1974 to 1994 she was an active member of the Fairfield Hospital Auxiliary.

In 2001 she moved to Pennsylvania Place in Ottumwa, where she continued to be an active member of the community. Throughout her life, Jo was devoted to flower gardening, crocheting, and reading; as well in later years to ocean cruises, bridge, and the crossword puzzle.

Mother Jo will be sadly missed by her sons, Wayne, of Ottumwa, and Bruce, of East Lansing, MI; his wife, Joy; grandchildren Hilary Curtis Arthur and Jason Hilleary Curtis; son-in-law Michael Arthur; daughter-in-law Kathryn Venz Curtis; great grandchildren Matthew and Thomas Arthur; and Sabrina, Julia, and Emma Curtis. Our memories are filled with her kind and loving spirit.

Josephine Teeter Curtis was preceded in death by her parents; two sisters, Irene Gorman Knopp and Rebecca Wheeldon; and two brothers, Earnest and Bernard Teeter.