Obituary – Daniel L. Curtis
Daniel Leo Curtis, age 69, was the son of Orval Leo Curtis and Shelby Jean Williams Curtis. He was born March 26, 1956, at the Dr. Myers Clinic in Licking, Mo. He passed away February 26, 2026, at Phelps Health Hospital in Rolla, Mo.
Danny went to church at Calvary Fellowship in Duke, Mo., back in 1978, as did Nadra White. One day Danny sat down beside Nadra prior to the church service. It was October 1. By October 21, they were engaged. They planned on getting married November 9,, but Helen White said that it was too soon. So, they thought November 18 might work. But Danny’s buddy, Randy Thomas, said that it was deer season! So, they married on the 24th of November, 1978. Danny ended up getting one deer and one “dear” that year.
Danny was preceded in death by his parents; one stepbrother, Randy Wilhite, of Mountain Grove; stepsister, Brenda Ellis; stepmother, Bonnie Ellis Curtis, of Mountain Grove; aunts and uncles, Alonso Curtis and wife Carol, of Louisiana, Delbert Curtis and wife Linda, of Duke, Paul Curtis, of Duke, Everett Curtis, of Louisiana; Lolita and Orville Kohensky, of Edgar Springs, Roberta Melissa Curtis, of Rolla, Billy Wayne Curtis, of Duke, Betty Florine Bunton; mother and father-in-law, Glen and Helen Roseberry White, of Edgar Springs; brothers-in-law, Rodney Fields, of Edgar Springs, and Donald Harris, of Edgar Springs.
He is survived by his wife, Nadra Curtis, of the home in Plato; daughter, Katherine James and husband Joseph, of Plato; stepdaughter, Susan Kennedy and husband Billy, of Edgar Springs; sister, Toni Todd and husband Joe, of Lynchburg; sister, Melissa Bradley, of North Adams, Mass.; brother, Orval Leo Curtis Jr. and wife Gina, of Lebanon; sisters-in-law, Nita Fields and Norisa White, of Edgar Springs; stepbrother, Ricky Wilhite, of Louisiana; Uncle Gerald and wife, of Centralia; Uncle John and wife Darlene, of Duke; Aunt Ruby Kohensky, of Duke; Aunt Theresa Curtis, of Louisiana. He is also survived by grandchildren, “JD” Joseph Daniel James and Jesse Michael James, of Plato; step-granddaughter, Alyssa Cheyenne Rose Kennedy, of Edgar Springs.
And with a family as big as his, he is also survived by countless cousins and friends.
He graduated from Plato R5 School. He was a firefighter, a first responder, the bus mechanic and bus driver. He was sent all over the country to pick up a new bus. He took the school cooks to Jefferson City to buy kitchen equipment from the state resale store. Doc Carlton didn’t think there was anything Danny couldn’t do.
He helped Chub Johnson on various projects, including combining and cattle auctions. He also helped Chub Johnson in both the car auctions and farm auctions. Almost every Tuesday night after the car auction, he would load up “Blackie” and take him, Orval, and Johnnie to Brownsville, Texas, to the auction there. He worked as a mechanic for Chub Johnson and for Loral Stice. He was a mechanic on his own cars and the family’s as well. He was also a car collector. Some would say a junkyard owner.
When Chub and a few others in the community decided to create a fire department, he was a big duck in the puddle. Chub had him step off the area to build the building. He sent Danny and his dad, Orval, to Illinois to pick up a fire truck. Danny, Orval, and Nadra went to New Haven, Connecticut, to pick up another one. Anytime they wanted another vehicle, Danny was the one they sent to get it.
His heart was for the Lord from a young age. He enjoyed helping Kathy Curran and Judy Routh as they were starting their churches. One of the songs he often sang was “People Need the Lord.” He was Pentecostal in faith. Currently, he belonged to the Palace Union Church. He loved going there and felt absolutely loved.
He loved his children and his grandchildren. Spending time with them was the most important thing to him. He was never too good to not get on the floor and play. Some of the other things he loved was collecting old cars and valuable auction items. And he loved eating out, especially at the “big bull,” otherwise known as Sirloin Stockade!
He was our anchor. He was the boys’ main go-to for working on their cars and for going fishing. And yes, after many years of not going deer hunting, he went with the boys. He was always trying to help someone. We are so thankful for the years we had with him. He will be so missed. But we know he is having a grand reunion. Seeing people he has missed, seeing wonderful things in Heaven and most of all, being surrounded by a loving Savior. Peace and joy, comfort and security as he has never known before. We can only imagine.
A visitation for Danny will take place Saturday, March 7, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Fox Funeral Home. A funeral service will follow at 12 p.m. at Fox Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to Danny’s family. Online condolences may be left at www.foxfh.net. Arrangements are entrusted to Fox Funeral Home.
