Mary Helen Curtis

Mary Helen Curtis, 96, passed away February 19, 2017 at the Western Homes Windhaven Assisted Living in Cedar Falls. She was born April 16, 1920 in her grandparents’ home near Salem, Iowa to Millie Elizabeth Hallowell Cammack and Reginald Cammack. She graduated as valedictorian from Salem High School in 1938 and from Iowa Wesleyan College in 1942 where she was a member of Alpha Xi Delta sorority. She married Milton Curtis on December 29, 1942 in Mt. Pleasant. Mary Helen and Milton farmed west of Salem. She was proud that the family farming operation has been in the family for over 140 years. Milton predeceased her in 1999. They had a strong loving relationship that endured Milton’s thirteen year battle with Parkinson’s disease. Mary Helen was the first woman to be elected to the Mt. Pleasant Community School District Board and later served as the Board President. She served seven years on the school board and provided leadership for a bond issue that resulted in the construction of the elementary school in Salem. She taught at the St. John’s Catholic Church High School in Houghton for fourteen years and prized the relationships that she had with her students and was very proud of their later achievements. She was a proud graduate of Iowa Wesleyan College and served on the Alumni Board of Directors for seven years and donated the necessary funds to install an elevator in the College Chapel Auditorium. She was honored to be the Homecoming Grand Marshal in 2014. Mary Helen was named Mount Pleasant Area Chamber Commerce Person of the Year in 2001 and was also the recipient of the James Harlan Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution Community Service Award in 2002. She is survived by her two children, Russell Curtis (wife Diane) of Cedar Falls and Kay Vargason (husband Fred) of Geneva, Illinois, two grandchildren – Patrick Curtis of Cedar Falls and Megan Larson (husband Eric) of Minneapolis and two great grandchildren – Oscar and August (Gus) and a sister Corrine Tiberti of Atlanta, Georgia. She was predeceased by her parents, husband and a cousin who was like a sister, Fran Sennes. Services will be held 11:00 a.m. Thursday at First Presbyterian Church in Cedar Falls. Visitation from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Richardson Funeral Service and also for one hour prior to the service Thursday at the church. Burial will be at 11:30 a.m. Friday in Cedar Creek Cemetery, rural Salem. The family requests in lieu of flowers that memorial gifts be directed to the First Presbyterian Church, Cedar Falls; Wesleyan University in Mt. Pleasant; or the Lewelling Quaker Museum in Salem, Iowa.

Mary Helen Curtis

April 16, 1920 - February 19, 2017