F. D. Curtis

Funeral services for Fayette DeLano Curtis known to his friends and family as F.D. will be held 11:00 am, Monday August 10, 2015, at the First Baptist Church with Rev. Dale Gowdy and Rev. Greggory Hall officiating.  Burial will follow in the Woodland Cemetery.  Funeral services will be under the direction of Chapman-Black Funeral Home.  Friends may share a memory with the family at www.chapman-black.com. F.D. was born September 7, 1936, in Yale, Oklahoma.  He was the son of Henry Moses and Anna Laura (Fowlkes) Curtis.  F.D. was raised in Yale, Oklahoma where he began his education.  Following the completion of his education F.D., traveled to California with a friend where they worked in the fields harvesting fruits and vegetable.  He was later inducted into the service of his country on September 10, 1953.  F.D. served his country honorably until he was discharged on March 23, 1955.  Following his discharge F.D. returned to Oklahoma.  In 1957, F.D. began his long career in the inspection business; beginning to work as an Assistant Radiographer.  While working in South Carolina F.D. met the love of his life Rachel Waldrop.  On December 3, 1957, the two was united in marriage in Winston Salem, North Carolina.  In 1959, F.D. began working for Industrial X-Ray as a Level II Inspector.  From 1960 to 1961, F.D. worked for Central X-Ray in Yale and from 1962-1964 he worked for Houston Gamma Ray and Central X-Ray.   In 1964, F.D. ventured on his own and started Globe X-Ray in El Dorado, Kansas.  He also began operating National Testing which was based in Bushton, Kansas.  In 1966, F.D. moved the operation to Cleveland.  Later in 1967, National Testing was purchased by Eagle Pitcher of Cincinnati, Ohio a mining company.  The following year Mr. Curtis purchased property southeast of Cleveland.  He constructed a 3800 square foot facility to house the new home office for Cleveland X-Ray Incorporated.  F.D. later branched out into the inspection business and in 1989, formed Cleveland Inspection Inc.  In 1991, F.D. decided to sell the Cleveland X-Ray operation to International Technical Services out of Houston, Texas.  Following the sell his operation F.D. focused all his energy on building the inspection business which grew to be one of the top inspection firms in the United States working for most of the major oil and gas companies.  The business employed from 200 to 400 employees at any given time.  Throughout the years of working in the pipeline business Cleveland Inspection had developed a reliable and respected reputation.  In 2004, Cleveland Inspection was purchased by Englobal Engineering.  Following retirement, F.D. got bored.  So he returned to work and helped with a project for Enbridge in 2009.  He worked reviewing films from the beginning to the end of a project as well as completing reports for the entire project.     F.D. enjoyed life.  He loved to fish, bird hunt, traveling, follow OU football and race horses to name a few.  He had numerous horses during his life winning in excess of 200 races over his lifetime.  Some of his favorites were Igloo, Blues Talkin', Lainy's a Golddigger and Thirtysilverpieces which he just purchased a couple of weeks ago. F.D. was a person that loved people.  He was continuously checking and calling to make sure everyone was doing well.  F.D. was constantly planning and was just recently planning on taking a trip.  He has been a longtime member of the Hebron Lodge 215 in Cleveland.  Mr. Curtis was also a very generous man to help anyone that was in need.  He also felt that any job worth doing should be worth doing it right.  F.D. has been a longtime faithful member of the First Baptist Church.          Survivors are his wife Rachel of the home; daughter Freddie McDonald of Mannford, Oklahoma; four grandchildren Danny Curtis II of Cleveland, Oklahoma, Stephanie Travis of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Chase McDonald of Cleveland, Oklahoma, Troyce Ward of Cleveland, Oklahoma; one brother Lawrence Brown of Grand Junction, Colorado; two sisters Helen Scott of Yale, Oklahoma, Freddie Fox of Bristow, Oklahoma; nine great grandchildren and numerous other family, friends and business associates.  In addition to his parents, F.D. was preceded in death by his son Danny Ray Curtis and seven brothers. Fayette DeLano Curtis went to be with his Lord and Saviour on Thursday, August 6, 2015, at his home in Mannford, Oklahoma at the age of 78 years.  Pallbearers will include Tom Reeder, Jerry Brand, Bruce McDonald, Kenny Powders, Charlie Swart, and Ken Garton.  Honorary pallbearers will be Gene Byers, Red Owens, Gayle Standfer, and Jim Kelly.