Gerald "Jerry" Glen Curtis' Obituary
Gerald (Jerry) Glen Curtis passed away peacefully in his sleep, surrounded by family on March 31, 2023 in South Jordan, Utah. Jerry was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend and will be missed dearly. He was a kind person who never spoke ill of anyone. He diligently cared for his wife for the last several years of his life. He took on the responsibility of raising and caring for six children without question. Everywhere he went people fell in love with him, right up to the last three months of his life where he was endeared by all he came in contact with at Copper Creek Assisted Living.
Jerry was born December 27, 1932 in Bisbee, Arizona to Vernon and Gladys Curtis. At the age of nine he moved with his family to Silver City, New Mexico where his father was a mining union rep. They later moved to Globe, Arizona which is where they lived when Jerry began playing the clarinet. He attended high school in Ely, Nevada. He spent his senior year living with a friend so that he could finish high school there while his family moved to Salt Lake City, Utah.
Upon high school graduation, he moved to Salt Lake City to attend the University of Utah until answering the call to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He served faithfully for two and a half years in the Spanish American mission (covering New Mexico, Arizona, and Western Texas). Once back home, he served in the U.S. Army for nearly two years, where after basic training he was sent to Germany with the 61st Army Band. After his Army service he returned to the University of Utah and majored with a B.A. in Spanish. He was awarded an NDEA fellowship to the University of New Mexico where he earned a Ph.D. in Ibero-American Studies. While at the University of New Mexico, he received a fellowship that sent him to study Portuguese in Porto Alegre, Brazil for two months where he met his first wife, Yussara. They later divorced.
After earning his Ph.D. Jerry accepted a teaching position at the University of Kansas where he taught Portuguese and Spanish for six years. While there, he was offered and accepted a teaching position at the University of Miami, where he taught Spanish and Portuguese for 30 years. He also worked as a professional interpreter for the court system, and various other assignments that took him all over North, Central and South America. Two of the highlights of his interpreting career were when he interpreted for Miss Brazil during the 2004 Miss Universe pageant in Quito, Ecuador, and when he interpreted for the President of Guatemala during an international conference. After retiring from The University of Miami, he worked full-time interpreting for the Federal Defenders Office in Salt Lake City for nine years.
Jerry married Carolyn in Salt Lake City, Utah, on July 25, 1980. After the wedding, Carolyn and her six children moved to Miami to be with Jerry, where he accepted the responsibility of becoming a father. Jerry and Carolyn were later sealed in the Oquirrh Mountain Temple on December 2, 2015. They lived in Miami for 17 years. When Jerry retired, they moved back to Salt Lake City where Jerry cared for his ailing mother for the last eight years of her life. In 2008, Jerry and Carolyn moved to South Jordan where they lived happily until the time of his death. During his life, he served diligently in various callings in his church. The most recent, and one of his favorites, was as a temple worker. He found great joy in this. During his life, Jerry enjoyed everything to do with languages, music, reading, fishing, hunting, camping, ice cream and spending time with family.
During the last three months of his life, Jerry was cared for by many including his family, the employees at Copper Creek Assisted Living, his hospice aide Dianna, and his hospice nurses Jen and Christine. We’re grateful for all those who have loved and cared for him.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Vernon and Gladys Curtis.
He is survived by his wife, Carolyn Curtis, brother, Larry (Marilyn) Curtis and their children. He’s also survived by his step-children: Todd (Rhonda) Nelson, Scott (Lisa) Nelson, Teri (Tony) Larsen, Christi (Eric) Richards, Lori (Nathan) Phillips, and Heather (Clint) Larson. He has 24 grandchildren, and 9 great-grandchildren.
The viewings and funeral will be held at his church building: 11122 S. Black Hawk Dr., South Jordan, UT 84095
Viewing Friday, April 7th, 2023 from 6pm - 8pm
Viewing Saturday, April 8th, 2023 from 10am - 10:30am
Funeral Services Saturday, April 8th, 2023 at 11am
Interment at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park: 3401 S. Highland Dr. Salt Lake City, Utah
The event will also be livestreamed at the following link:
https://youtube.com/live/yUpVuf3_6Tk?feature=share (https://youtube.com/live/yUpVuf3_6Tk?feature=share
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