Obituaries » Curtis G Wells
Curtis G Wells
September 30, 1959 - December 13, 2022
Service Date: January 5, 2023
Funeral Home Memorial Services of Iowa
Curtis Guy Wells passed away on December 13, 2022. He was born in Des Moines, Iowa on September 30, 1959. He was baptized as both Methodist and Nazarene. Curtis was an Eagle Scout who later served his country in the U.S. Army as a Combat Engineer for 12 years. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his outstanding service during Operation Desert Storm.
Visitation will be held from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 5, 2023, at Memorial Services of Iowa (4208 N. Ankeny Blvd, Ankeny, IA). A memorial service will immediately follow the visitation at 11:00 a.m., also at the funeral home. The memorial service will be livestreamed at the following link: https://vimeo.com/event/2730551
Curtis is survived by his wife, Joan. They had 41 loving years together. He is also survived by his children, Amy, David, Braden, Melissa, and Bashir; grandsons, Fredrick, Jackson, and Dean; sisters, Lisa, Lori, and Lynn; nieces, Cheri and Hannah; nephew, Jeff; and his mother, Royetta Wells.
Curtis, the bedrock of his family, was devoted to work. After the Army, he worked as a truck driver, a security guard, and a logistics specialist. Demonstrating a resolute sense of duty, he worked two full-time jobs for years to support his family and allow his wife to finish her college education. His strength and caregiving will be dearly missed.
Curtis was a cinephile who loved to dissect and analyze TV and films. He and family often spent weekends with a large bucket of popcorn and a round of large sodas in front of the silver screen. His family film debates infused a love of the arts in all his children. Curtis delighted in creating an environment of wonderment and joy for his children and grandchildren. Not only did he wrap birthday and Christmas presents with meticulous perfection but also embedded them with decoy weights, noise makers, and riddles. He brought joy to every occasion.
Family came first for Curtis. Whether it was football games, dance recitals, or concerts– his voice was always unabashedly the loudest parent cheering in the crowd. He was his children’s number one fan. At events, he could be spotted holding large signs, clanging noisemakers, or presenting a bouquet of flowers. Those he loved, knew it. His dedication to family was witnessed by his in-laws, Deborah and Milford Jorgensen, for whom he served as caretaker prior to their passing.
Service to others was a cornerstone of his personal ethos. Curtis dedicated countless hours of labor to his local booster club in Copperas Cove, TX and just joined the Ankeny, IA Booster Club. He jumped on every opportunity to cook for friends and family whether it was full spread for an anniversary party or simply a Sunday meal. He was at his best when behind a grill or stove as it was yet another form of service he could provide for loved ones. Altruism was never a means to an end; to Curtis, it was his duty to provide unremitting support to his family, his community, and his country.
Curtis was a man with a big heart and big passions. For him, life was not about a number in a bank account, it was about the number of ways one could express love and ever expand the boundaries of one’s heart.
In lieu of flowers, please direct memorial contributions to Curtis’s favorite charity: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.