During his childhood, Curtis lived in Windsor, Ekfrid township, and Matheson (all in Ontario). He spent the majority of his childhood (aged 6 -16) on a farm near Melbourne, Ontario. Dawn was raised in Kingsville. After high school she spent 3 years in the Canadian air force as a radar control operator and then studied medical laboratory technology. After graduation for the University of Western Ontario, Curtis taught high school science in Ridgetown (1963-66) and Windsor High School of Commerce (1966-67). In 1966, Curtis and Dawn were married. In 1967, they went to Kafue, Zambia to serve as overseas personnel of the United Church of Canada (1967-1974), teaching secondary school agricultural science for the United Church of Zambia.
They have 4 children, Stephen, Christopher, Susan and Shelley. The first 3 were born in Zambia.
Dawn died in 2011 at the age of 69.
In 1974, Curtis resumed teaching in Ontario at Kingsville District High School, until 1978, when he was called into ministry with the United Church of Canada. After 3 years of study at Huron College, London and Emmanuel College in Toronto, he was ordained in 1981. He served the Alvinston Pastoral Charge (1978-81) while studying for ministry. Since ordination, Curtis has served at Blind River, Point Edward-Blackwell (Sarnia) and Roseland in Windsor. Following early retirment, Curtis served in a half-time appointment as pastoral associate at Blenheim United Church. Having trained as an Intentional Interim Minister in 2000, his last appointment (2005-2008) was served at Park Street United Church and St. Andrew’s United Church in Chatham during their transition to become an amalgamated congregation.
Curtis has served as chair of London Conference World Outreach and on various committees related to World Outreach at Presbytery, Conference and national levels throughout his ministry. He served as chair of Essex Presbytery and was on the Board and Committees of The Windsor Downtown Mission for 9 years. He also served as chair of the London Conference Social Justice Division and the Interim Ministry Committee.
Curtis became a charter member of the Windsor Roseland Lions Club in 1998, serving as secretary, president and Zone chair before transferring to Chatham Lions where he served as secretary for 4 yearsand 2 years as president. He was Lions District A1 web master for 4 years and chair of the District A1 Youth Exchange program. Some of his “spare” time is spent constructing and editing several web pages, as well as golf, gardening and trying to learn how to fly a radio controlled model airplane.
Since 2012, he served as the Communication Coordinator on the Coordinating Team for the United Network for Justice and Peace in Palestine and Israel. As well, he has been a member of the Board of Canadian Friends of Sabeel.