Ruel Curtis was born Monday, October 19, 1903 in Aurora, Utah and was the son of the late John Franklin Curtis and Sarah Elizabeth Broadhead.
Ruel married Mary Zola Harward on April 16, 1923 in Price, Utah. They were sealed on November 14, 1923 in the Manti LDS Temple. They lived in Peerless, Carbon County, Utah, until May 9, 1923, when they moved to Aurora to take care of a farm owned by Ruel's father.
They remained there until December 1923, when they moved to Garfield, Salt Lake County, Utah. They moved to Salt Lake City the following spring and remained there until the fall of that year, when they moved back to Aurora. They resided in Aurora until November 1927, when they moved back to Salt Lake City.
Upon his arrival in Salt Lake City, Ruel rented a home at 1020 South Denver Street (440 East) in Liberty Wells, not far from his parent's home. They lived there until 1929, when they moved to a home at 754 East Parker Lane (2855 South) in Millcreek, where the rent was cheaper and closer to work for Ruel. From 1932 until 1936, they resided at 3195 South Imperial Street (1700 East) in East Millcreek, Salt Lake County. From 1936 until 1937, they resided at 378 East Coatsville Avenue (1790 South) in the Liberty Wells neighborhood of Salt Lake City.
On April 3, 1937, Ruel and Zola bought the first home they had owned in the Salt Lake Valley. The home was located at 2019 South 800 East in the Sugar House neighborhood of Salt Lake City. They lived there for twenty-one years.
On July 29, 1958, they bought a new home in the Hoffman Heights neighborhood of Kearns, Utah. The home was located at 4852 South 4180 West in the north end of Kearns, adjacent to the then farming community of Granger.
They loved their new home and the area it was in very much. In her autobiography, Zola said of her new home, "We got a three bedroom home with a full basement. I had never expected such a nice place. It is located in such a pretty place. You can stand any place in our house and look out and see the mountains. That I love so much. The basement was not finished so Ruel and Dale went to work and finished it. So we had one bedroom, a store room, a wash room, a bathroom, and a large rumpus room. It turned out very nice. We like our place so much."
On November 8, 1927, he was hired by the Utah Sand and Gravel Company, working as a superintendent. He retired in 1969 after forty-two years of service. He also worked for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the 1930s. Ruel and Zola enjoyed traveling very much and went to several states and countries over the course of their lives.
He was a Republican. For many years, he watched the CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite and, later, Dan Rather. He also enjoyed watching Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Kennecott Neighborhood Theater, and the Ed Sullivan Show.
Ruel was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in several callings in the Church throughout his life. He was a member of the Liberty Ward, Springview Ward, Kenwood Second Ward, Belvedere Ward, Lincoln Ward, and Kearns Thirteenth Ward.
In the fall of 1949, he was asked to be chairman of the Lincoln Ward's Genealogy Committee. He served in that position for several years and enjoyed it very much.
On January 1, 1959, their Ward in Kearns was organized. Ruel was made Ward Teacher Supervisor and later he was made 2nd counselor to the Bishop, serving in that position for two years until he was released due to poor health.
He was then made an assistant to the Sunday School Superintendent. He served in that position for nearly a year and at that time the Sunday School was reorganized. At that time, he was given back his old job as Ward Teacher Supervisor and also as the High Priest Group Leader. In his later years, he was in charge of keeping records for the High Priests and for the people that go the Temple.
In 1960, all but two of their children had married and moved into their own homes. At this time, Ruel and Zola became acquainted with the foster child program. Over the years, they took care of at one time or another in their home some thirty-eight children who were in dire need of help.
He suffered from organic brain syndrome and bladder cancer for two years prior to his death. Ruel suffered a minor stroke on July 19, 1985 at his home. He was rushed to Pioneer Valley Hospital and was transferred to the Bennion Care Center in Bennion (now Taylorsville), Utah the same day. He caught pneumonia in the hospital and failed rapidly from that point. He passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 21, 1985 at 11:30 p.m.
Funeral services were held on Thursday, July 25, 1985 at 12:00 p.m. in the Kearns East Stake Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 4715 South 4300 West in Kearns, Utah. A viewing was held on Wednesday, July 24, 1985 from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. at the McDougal Funeral Home located at 4330 South Redwood Road (1700 West) in Taylorsville, Utah, and at the church one hour prior to the services.
Ruel was laid to rest following the conclusion of the funeral services in the Redwood Memorial Estates Cemetery.
Summary of funeral services:
Funeral services were held under the direction of Bishop Holt Wardle.
The family prayer was offered by J. Kent Curtis.
The prelude and postlude music was offered by Alan Inkley.
The invocation was offered by Dee Bradshaw.
Musical numbers performed included: "I am a Child of God," which was performed by Ruel's grandchildren and great-grandchildren and accompanied by Alan Inkley; and "Silver Haired Daddy of Mine," which was performed by L. James Lord and accompanied by Marianne L. Dunn.
Speakers included: Bonnie Curtis, Patriarch Verl Asay, and Pres. Lynn Christensen.
The benediction was offered by Normand L. Gibbons.
The grave was dedicated by N. DeVon Curtis.
Pallbearers included: Stuart Curtis, Stephen Curtis, Alan Inkley, Dale Inkley, Michael Gibbons, Richard Flink, David Flink, Larry Curtis, and Darrell Black.
Honorary pallbearers included: Stephen Flink, Glen Flink, Donald Flink, Sherman Curtis, John Inkley, Stephen Black, Wayne Black, Gaston Gibbons, Ronald Gibbons, and Robert Gibbons.
Ruel Curtis was born Monday, October 19, 1903 in Aurora, Utah and was the son of the late John Franklin Curtis and Sarah Elizabeth Broadhead.
Ruel married Mary Zola Harward on April 16, 1923 in Price, Utah. They were sealed on November 14, 1923 in the Manti LDS Temple. They lived in Peerless, Carbon County, Utah, until May 9, 1923, when they moved to Aurora to take care of a farm owned by Ruel's father.
They remained there until December 1923, when they moved to Garfield, Salt Lake County, Utah. They moved to Salt Lake City the following spring and remained there until the fall of that year, when they moved back to Aurora. They resided in Aurora until November 1927, when they moved back to Salt Lake City.
Upon his arrival in Salt Lake City, Ruel rented a home at 1020 South Denver Street (440 East) in Liberty Wells, not far from his parent's home. They lived there until 1929, when they moved to a home at 754 East Parker Lane (2855 South) in Millcreek, where the rent was cheaper and closer to work for Ruel. From 1932 until 1936, they resided at 3195 South Imperial Street (1700 East) in East Millcreek, Salt Lake County. From 1936 until 1937, they resided at 378 East Coatsville Avenue (1790 South) in the Liberty Wells neighborhood of Salt Lake City.
On April 3, 1937, Ruel and Zola bought the first home they had owned in the Salt Lake Valley. The home was located at 2019 South 800 East in the Sugar House neighborhood of Salt Lake City. They lived there for twenty-one years.
On July 29, 1958, they bought a new home in the Hoffman Heights neighborhood of Kearns, Utah. The home was located at 4852 South 4180 West in the north end of Kearns, adjacent to the then farming community of Granger.
They loved their new home and the area it was in very much. In her autobiography, Zola said of her new home, "We got a three bedroom home with a full basement. I had never expected such a nice place. It is located in such a pretty place. You can stand any place in our house and look out and see the mountains. That I love so much. The basement was not finished so Ruel and Dale went to work and finished it. So we had one bedroom, a store room, a wash room, a bathroom, and a large rumpus room. It turned out very nice. We like our place so much."
On November 8, 1927, he was hired by the Utah Sand and Gravel Company, working as a superintendent. He retired in 1969 after forty-two years of service. He also worked for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the 1930s. Ruel and Zola enjoyed traveling very much and went to several states and countries over the course of their lives.
He was a Republican. For many years, he watched the CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite and, later, Dan Rather. He also enjoyed watching Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Kennecott Neighborhood Theater, and the Ed Sullivan Show.
Ruel was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in several callings in the Church throughout his life. He was a member of the Liberty Ward, Springview Ward, Kenwood Second Ward, Belvedere Ward, Lincoln Ward, and Kearns Thirteenth Ward.
In the fall of 1949, he was asked to be chairman of the Lincoln Ward's Genealogy Committee. He served in that position for several years and enjoyed it very much.
On January 1, 1959, their Ward in Kearns was organized. Ruel was made Ward Teacher Supervisor and later he was made 2nd counselor to the Bishop, serving in that position for two years until he was released due to poor health.
He was then made an assistant to the Sunday School Superintendent. He served in that position for nearly a year and at that time the Sunday School was reorganized. At that time, he was given back his old job as Ward Teacher Supervisor and also as the High Priest Group Leader. In his later years, he was in charge of keeping records for the High Priests and for the people that go the Temple.
In 1960, all but two of their children had married and moved into their own homes. At this time, Ruel and Zola became acquainted with the foster child program. Over the years, they took care of at one time or another in their home some thirty-eight children who were in dire need of help.
He suffered from organic brain syndrome and bladder cancer for two years prior to his death. Ruel suffered a minor stroke on July 19, 1985 at his home. He was rushed to Pioneer Valley Hospital and was transferred to the Bennion Care Center in Bennion (now Taylorsville), Utah the same day. He caught pneumonia in the hospital and failed rapidly from that point. He passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 21, 1985 at 11:30 p.m.
Funeral services were held on Thursday, July 25, 1985 at 12:00 p.m. in the Kearns East Stake Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 4715 South 4300 West in Kearns, Utah. A viewing was held on Wednesday, July 24, 1985 from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. at the McDougal Funeral Home located at 4330 South Redwood Road (1700 West) in Taylorsville, Utah, and at the church one hour prior to the services.
Ruel was laid to rest following the conclusion of the funeral services in the Redwood Memorial Estates Cemetery.
Summary of funeral services:
Funeral services were held under the direction of Bishop Holt Wardle.
The family prayer was offered by J. Kent Curtis.
The prelude and postlude music was offered by Alan Inkley.
The invocation was offered by Dee Bradshaw.
Musical numbers performed included: "I am a Child of God," which was performed by Ruel's grandchildren and great-grandchildren and accompanied by Alan Inkley; and "Silver Haired Daddy of Mine," which was performed by L. James Lord and accompanied by Marianne L. Dunn.
Speakers included: Bonnie Curtis, Patriarch Verl Asay, and Pres. Lynn Christensen.
The benediction was offered by Normand L. Gibbons.
The grave was dedicated by N. DeVon Curtis.
Pallbearers included: Stuart Curtis, Stephen Curtis, Alan Inkley, Dale Inkley, Michael Gibbons, Richard Flink, David Flink, Larry Curtis, and Darrell Black.
Honorary pallbearers included: Stephen Flink, Glen Flink, Donald Flink, Sherman Curtis, John Inkley, Stephen Black, Wayne Black, Gaston Gibbons, Ronald Gibbons, and Robert Gibbons.
Family Members
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Alva Curtis
1886–1961
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Dr John Irvin Curtis
1887–1959
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Lero Curtis
1889–1967
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Earl Jabez Curtis
1890–1979
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Sarah "Sadie" Curtis Anderson
1892–1968
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Eunice Ellen "Ella" Curtis Record
1895–1988
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Mabel Curtis Ence
1897–1968
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Lora Curtis Watkins
1898–1966
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Kenneth Curtis
1901–1976
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Verda Curtis Willardson
1905–1997
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Mary Phyrl Curtis Black
1924–1991
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Ruel Wayne Curtis
1925–1925
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Infant Son Curtis
1926–1926
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Arva Gae "Granny" Curtis Gibbons
1927–1998
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Dale Harward Curtis
1929–2001
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Neldon DeVon Curtis
1930–2012
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Jay Kent Curtis
1932–2018
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Sara Loie Curtis Flink
1936–2009
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Rula Rae Curtis Flink
1938–2020
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Linda Kaye Curtis Bradshaw
1946–1990
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