Royce Dean Curtis

Royce Dean Curtis, 70, of Rector died Monday, Sept. 5, 2005, at Great River Medical Center in Blytheville.

Born Aug. 16, 1935, in Rector to the late Roy and Ruth Parham Curtis, he retired from Emerson Electric at Kennett, Mo., after 32 years of employment. He was a member of the Rector First General Baptist Church.

Survivors include his wife of 49 years, Mary Guthrie Curtis, of the home; two daughters and a son-in-law, Kathy and Ken Rogers and Keli Curtis of Russellville; one son and daughter-in-law, Keith and Diane Curtis of Collierville, Tenn.; one granddaughter, Taylor Curtis; one sister and brother-in-law, Marilene and James Horner of Swartz Creek, Mich., and a host of other family members and friends.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. today (Wednesday, Sept. 7) at the Rector First General Baptist Church with Rev. Mark Book, Rev. James Henry Dortch and Rev. Louie Cordell officiating. Burial will be in Woodland Heights Cemetery in Rector.

Pallbearers are Ronnie Crockett, Darrell Shelton, Ronnie Curtis, Randall Graves, Chuck Cordell and R.V. Wesley.

Honorary pallbearers are Buel Shelton, J.G. Dooley, Dewey Shelton, Lowell McKenney and Terry Wyatt.

Memorials may be made to the First General Baptist Church in Rector or to the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 1131, Fairfax, VA 22038-1131.

Mitchell Funeral Home of Rector is in charge of funeral arrangements.