More detail on this person: COL (ret) Curtis H.
Downs III "Red", 70 of Groom died August 5, 2015.
Funeral Services will be held at 10:29 A.M.,
Saturday, August 8, 2015 in First Baptist Church
of Groom with Rev. Andy Dietz and Rev. Byron
Williamson officiating. Burial will follow in
Groom Cemetery. Arrangements are by Schooler
Funeral Home, 4100 South Georgia.
Curtis was born July 22, 1945 in Memphis, Tenn. to
Betty and Curtis H. Downs Jr. The family moved to
Pantex Village in 1953. As the oldest of three
boys who were known as the drugstore kids, they
played lots of baseball in jeans and tshirts, not
uniforms as the Amarillo teams did. He graduated
from Panhandle High School in 1963, and from
West Texas A&M University in 1967. In January of
1971, after returning from a year in Vietnam, he
married the love of his life Dondra Burgin in
Groom, Texas.
As a military man, Curtis achieved two
Distinguished Flying Cross Awards, the Bronze
Star Medal, the Air Medal Award, Vietnam Service
Medal with three stars, CH-47 Aviator Pilot,
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Senior Army
Aviator Badge, Joint Chief of Staff Identification
Badge and many others.
Curtis was a member of the First Baptist Church of
Groom where he served as Deacon and Treasurer,
Groom Lions Club Treasurer for many years,
currently Chairman of the Board of the Carson
County Museum, Board Member of Groom
Independent School District, and served on the
Carson County Tax Appraisal Board.
He is preceded in death by his parents, a daughter
Denai Vaughn on November 7, 2011, and a son
Curtis H. Downs IV "Curt" in 1973.
Curtis is survived by his wife Dondra Downs, a son
Collin Downs, two granddaughters Victoria Faith
Vaughn and her father Tim Vaughn, and Alex
Paulson; brothers James Downs and wife Denise,
and Herky Downs and wife Lynn both of Amarillo;
brothers-in-law Johnny Burgin and Donald Burgin of
Amarillo, sister-in-law Lenora Nepper of Lawton,
OK, and several nephews and nieces, including
Melissa Estrada who was of great comfort and help
in his final hours. Cancer may have overtaken his
body but his spirit soars in Heaven.
The family will receive friends from 7:00-8:00 pm
today at First Baptist Church in Groom, Texas.
Family suggests memorials be made to the Groom
Ambulance Fund 203 Broadway Groom, Texas
79039
This information was last updated 06/10/2015
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