In
Loving
Memory of
PETER CURTIS
27.2.1940 – 26.1.2015
Tennant Creek Civic Centre
13 February 2015
God Took Him to His Loving Home
God saw him getting tired, a cure was not to be.
He wrapped him in his loving arms and whispered
‘Come with me.’
He suffered much in silence, his spirit did not bend.
He faced his pain with courage, until the very end.
He tried so hard to stay with us but his fight was not in vain,
God took him to His loving home and free him from the pain.
Son of
Rosie and Bill Curtis (both dec’d)
Husband of
Mona Kathleen Curtis (nee Miller) (dec’d)
Beloved Father of
Frank, Danny, Dianne, Sandra, Christine, Pat, Jenny and Valerie.
Loved Father-in-law of
Verna, Michelle, Mervyn, Douglas (dec’d) & Kenny, Warren, Michael, Ralph, Richard and Craig.
Loved Brother of
Mary (dec’d), Sonny, Amy (dec’d), Arthur (dec’d), Melva, Emily and David.
Cherished Grandfather and Great Grandfather Loved by many Nephews and Nieces
God has called him to join his Mother and Father, Wife, Sisters and Brothers, Nieces and Nephews, Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren.
Order of Service
Welcome and prayer
Pastor Baker
Scripture Reading – psalm 138.8
Pastor Baker
Hymn ‘What a friend we have in Jesus’
Life Story
Member of the family
Song and dance
‘Lord you are my hiding place’
Members of the family
Messages and memories
Family and Friends
We ask that these be kept short
Hymn ‘Amazing Grace’
Messages
Pastor Baker
The eldest Grandsons will take their Grandpa to his vehicle, which will travel
past one of his favourite places from his old days in Tennant Creek, on the way
to the cemetery.
Graveside
Prayer
Pastor Baker
Hymn
‘
I’ll be leaving Bye and Bye
’ and
‘He is Lord’
Members of the Family
Lowering of the coffin will be accompanied by the playing of ‘My old friend’
Pallbearers
Francis Curtis Adam Curtis
Cyril Franey Shem Camfoo
Life story ………..
Peter Curtis was born to Rosie and Bill Curtis on 27 February 1940 near Mosquito Creek. Sonny, Peter’s eldest brother can remember being woken that night to meet his new brother and asking that his little brother be made a boomerang straight away so they could play together.
While Peter was young he travelled with his mother around the Tennant Creek area, living at Marble Creek Mine and the old Mission at Phillip Creek often walking long distances to visit his father at Kurrundi Station. While living at Boxer Creek Peter played with a little girl Gladys, who went on to become his brother, Sonny’s partner. They would take food from the camp and play with puppies in the caves until they were caught. When Peter was around 10 years old he started living at the Wauchope Mine where his father was mining Wolfram with his old mate Dick Turner.
Peter was a hard worker - he started off collecting Wolfram in a jam tin for his father who paid him in lollies. When he was 13 years old Peter was the first boy in his group of
family and friends to have a good paying job. He worked for Bill Chisholm at the
Wauchope Mine as a winch driver. This was a very dangerous job for anyone, let alone a 13 year old. It is said that he was paid big money, around 20 pounds.
Growing up the Foster and Curtis families lived almost as one family because their fathers worked together and Peter was particularly close to Gay Foster, they were best mates. Peter drove some of the first tour buses at Ayers Rock for Len Tuit. In those days the roads were rough two-wheel drive tracks and the buses were like trucks with a prime mover towing the passenger carriage. He made friends with the local people and would share what beef he hunted and in return they would look after him, leaving him rabbit and kangaroo overnight. Peter’s boss thought he was a great hunter to get all this food. Peter met Mona Kathleen Miller at the Pioneer Walk-in Theatre in Alice Springs.
However they had seen each other previously when he was working on a car next to the Mission Block and Mona was hanging out washing. The story he told was that their eyes met and she waved to him but he didn’t wave back that day. Next day he was there working again, she waved and this time he waved back. He said that Mona was sitting behind him at the walk-in theatre and she pretended to cough and kicked him. He turned around to see who it was and she asked him where he was from and he said Tennant Creek. She asked if he knew Melva and Emily and he said yes they are my sisters. From then on they were an item and Peter and Mona went on to have eight children; Frank, Danny, Dianne, Sandra, Christine, Pat, Jenny and Valerie.
Peter was working as a ringer on Indiana Station when news reached him that Mona was in hospital having their first child. He and another ringer were offered a ride into Alice Springs in a plane. This was their first time flying and were a little nervous. The other
bloke grabbed Peter each time the plane bumped which gave Peter a fright, and many laughs later. When Peter got to the hospital he was surprised to find out Mona had twin boys, Frank and Danny.
Peter’s brother David’s notice in the paper said he was a quiet achiever, and he was. He built fences on McLaren Station, was a ringer on Brunette Downs and Indiana Station, he drilled bores for Gorey Drillers on Eva Downs using the old mud punchers, he put the roof on the ANZ Bank in Alice Spring, he worked for the Tennant Creek Council in a number of jobs including driving the sewerage pump truck, preparing bodies for funerals and driving the Hearst. Peter was a very good plant operator and he was the only worker that could operate the front end loader well at Battery Hill where he worked in the crusher as well. Peter was well known for his boxing skills and quick moving in the ring. Along with old Uncle Jack Gidjankarri and Alfie Brown he travelled with the Sharman Boxing Tent to Brisbane and the Roy Bell Boxing Tent in the Territory. Not only a great boxer he also was a great showman. It was during his boxing days that he got his pop-eye tattoo, a mark all boxers in that tent had.
His brothers remember many hunting trips with Peter. He loved hunting and passed this love onto his sons and taught them the old ways, which involved walking long distances.
In the late 1960s Peter and Mona took Frank, Danny, Dianne, Sandra and Christine to Victoria on a holiday. While there they were treated very well and Peter was offered farming land around Ballarat. Mona was keen to stay so the children could go to school there but Peter said their home was in the Territory and they returned to Tennant Creek, close to his country.
Peter is remembered as a cheeky fun loving man, who was asking for a kiss from the Nurse, and getting one, right up to the end. He always had a quick come back and was making his family laugh as they gathered at Palliative Care. He was happy to have his family around him.
Peter suffered in his later years with ill health but he would suffer in silence. His strength is an inspiration to his family and all who knew him. It is a comfort to us that Peter is now reunited with his parents; Rosie and Bill, his special friend and wife; Mona and his many friends and family members.
Family Memories
…..
Dad travelled to Kalgoorlie with us across the Nullarbor Plain and near Kambalda, outside of Kalgoorlie, a kangaroo decided to jump in front of the bus on the passenger side and gave Dad a big fright.
In Kalgoorlie we showed him the sights and because he was such a big fan of Slim Dusty we went to the golden mile and told him this was the golden mile and super pits that Slim Dusty sang about.
One night he went to see the ladies of the night, the old boy thought he was the pimp of Kalgoorlie brothel because he was having a cup of tea and biscuits with the madam. She wouldn’t let him go home until around 2’o’clock in the morning because she wanted to listen to all his stories about Tennant Creek.
We took him to Esperance to see the beach and he was sitting with Verna’s father when I noticed they both had the same pop-eye tattoo - the same design and colour and in the same place on their arms. They didn’t notice it until I pointed it out to them.
Mum and Dad are resting together in peace now.
Frank and Verna
Grandpa lived with us in Whippet Street, Tennant Creek and one day he came home from his day out and Francis and Bradley were sitting in the tree waiting for him. They heard him coming along singing his song, when he got to the fence he sat down for a rest and he told them about his day out. He then told the boys how he used to do cartwheels and back flips when he was younger and the boys asked him to show them how to do it on the lawn. What did Gramps do……a front flip over the low front fence and landed flat on his back and just laid there. When the boys shouted out for mum and dad to come out and that grandpa was doing somersaults Mum said to watch him so he doesn’t hurt himself. Dad came out and asked him to do it again because he missed it. Grandpa said he couldn’t do it because his back was sore and he never did it again. That is why he walked side-ways like a crab.
Francis, Bradley and Annie
Grandpa we’ll miss the songs you made up and will always remember the way you used to jump at us and give us a fright when we were little. We’re glad we could find your winkies when you lost them.
Love you and miss the good times we had with you.
Family Memories
…..
Dad, I loved going out hunting with you when I was little. Sometimes you would try to leave me behind but I would watch which way you went and then I’d follow from a distance. One day you had a kangaroo in your sights and as you were about to pull the trigger a little voice said ‘what are you doing Dad?’ After growling me you’d let me stay and when you shot something I’d have to go and get it and carry it back to camp. We always laughed about that story.
I have many hunting memories, one time we were tracking a big goanna. You taught me to listen to him run. We tracked him to a tree where I spotted him hanging out on the end of a branch high up. You took one shot and got him straight through the head. You wrapped it around my shoulders and his tail was dragging on the ground, that’s how big he was. You taught me how to smoke porcupine out of their caves. I remember when we were hunting near Peko Dam with Uncle Jack and we got a big carpet snake. You cooked it up and when it was cooling on a layer of gum leaves you and the men sat around telling stories. When you turned around to get some snake I’d eaten it all because I was starving – was told off for that one too.
I remember when you got our first flash car, it was an EH station wagon, automatic and blue with a white roof. You’d put a mattress in the back and all us kids would pile in with Rusty our pet dingo. All our cars were used like four wheel drives and you took them just about everywhere.
When we moved to the Battery, working with Ron Paterson, you would take us hunting, by foot, through the hills. Whatever we’d catch we’d cook over a fire out there and you’d say ‘look up on the hill’ and we’d see the Paterson kids sitting there watching us. You’d tell us to sing out and get them to come over to share whatever we had, including Mum’s great johnny cakes and dampers.
I am glad we grew closer in the latter years and enjoyed yarning up, reminiscing, laughing and even crying at times.
We love you Dad and Grandpa and will miss you.
Danny, Michelle Adam and Travis
Family Memories
…..
Dad
I will always treasure the memories that I have growing up with you and Mum. Especially when you used to hire Theo’s taxi to take us all out bush for the
weekends and what great fun us kids had running around free in the bush where we’d look for bush tucker and go swimming. It was really exciting too camping out under the stars and telling stories around the camp fire and that is why I still love camping out under the stars to this day.
When you came to stay with us in Alice you got to know your son-in-law Merv and your grannies where you spent some great times with them too. Then when your great grannies (and your little mummies and uncles) came along you spent great times with them too. Merv remembers very fondly your special little songs when we were sitting around having a coldie, especially your keycard version.
You were a very strong and courageous man right up until the end. You didn’t want to leave us. And because of your strength and courage you made us feel stronger. Now you are with your special Old Friend who came calling for you.
We will always love and miss you so much old Popeye.
God bless you, Love from Dianne, Merv, Grannies and Great Grannies (little mummies and uncles).
For someone who was so strong until the end.
So many years went by but not a moment went by that you didn’t stop loving all your eight children, then the grannies came along followed by great grannies and the love and kindness grew even more than words can explain. The last seven weeks we spent with you will always be treasured memories.
Even though you didn’t want to leave us behind someone else wanted you to join her in the journey and that was your mate and bride, our Mum.
To my loving Father who I miss so much. I’ll miss the time we spent in Tennant Creek Hospital, the laughs and the jokes you told us and how we enjoyed the time we spent sitting beside your bedside made me happy but the day you left us was sad.
I will miss you so much Dad, Jenny
To my Dad
Remember when I was small, I used to cry to you to go to Kelly Well. When you didn’t take any notice of me I used to cry more and more. Then you would get sick of me crying and you’d say to Mum “pack up the swags we are going to Kelly Well for the weekend. You’d ring Theo’s Taxi and he’d take us out there.
I was so happy then, singing and dancing around. What was that Dad? YOU HEARD!!!
Lots of love from your daughter Sandra, miss you Dad.
To my loving courageous Dad, who fought his illness right up to his very last day. I wanted to be with you since the day
I heard that you were ill but because of family commitments back at
Beswick. I couldn’t be there for you then but when your final days came and you couldn’t do all the things for yourself I wanted to be there for you. I heard a lot of interesting stories about your life, where you worked, what you did when you were young,
before and after you met Mum. I loved the days when I went and visited you in hospital at Tennant Creek. I loved to listen to you when you told us stories about your life. You had a very interesting life because of where you have travelled in your lifetime.
Now you are on another Journey to be with the Father in Heaven above. I can see you smiling down from heaven with Mum and all the rest of the loved ones gone before you. You are now resting in a beautiful home where there is no sickness, no sorrow and no pain.
To my Dad and my Old Friend
Words can’t express how I feel at this moment. My heart is filled with sadness but also happiness at the same time. Knowing that you are with Mum again and all the rest of the family that have gone before us. I am so grateful to have known such a true and genuine old man who had a great sense of humour even through your illness you were a strong man.
Even though you have left us you will be missed very deeply and you will never be forgotten. You and Mum will forever be in our hearts.
Forever love you Dad, until we meet again from your loving baby daughter Valerie
To my old friend
To this day I still don’t believe that you’ve gone because it seems like I was with you just yesterday watching you sleep in your bed. I am still trying to take it all in, I still feel numb.
I’m going to miss many of the fun times we had together; yarning, smoking and joking on your verandah and also on our journeys up and down to the hospital.
Even though it was tiring for you and us you made it seems fun every hospital visit because of your great sense of humour.
Staying with you in hospital in your last days was one of the toughest times for you and me but I enjoyed that time with you Grandpa because in that short time we had together I got to know you better. All the stories came out which were very interesting to hear of all the places that you have been and worked. It made me so proud to be your Grandson It was hard for me to say goodbye, it was very upsetting watching you slowly slipping away in front of my eyes so I had to go to our home at Wauchope and let Mum and Dad step in. A couple of weeks went by and then you left us.
I’m going to treasure the precious time and memories I have in my heart of us spending quality time together.
My Grandpa and Old Friend I’m never gonna forget you and Nanna because in a way I’m happy you are with your old friend, your Marilyn Monroe.
