William Thomas "Bill" Curtis

William Thomas (Bill) Curtis passed away August 18, 2026, at Davis Hospice Center in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Bill was born March 3, 1945, in Phoenix, AZ to Thomas Earl and Grace Elizabeth (Perkins) Curtis. During Bill’s childhood, the Curtis family lived in Wisconsin, Washington, California, and Colorado. He graduated from Wheat Ridge, High School and later earned an associate degree from Red Rocks Community College; both schools are in Colorado.

He left home at 16 years old and spent two years working for Guy and Walter Shultz, learning to care for and ride thoroughbred race horses at their farm in Oklahoma and at race tracks throughout the Midwest.

Bill was drafted into the Army in 1965 and served one year in Vietnam. He then returned to the race track and rode in California and Colorado. In September, 1968 he went to work for Martin Marietta (which later became Lockheed Martin) at the Waterton Colorado facility, with the idea that he would return to the race track in the spring. However, he worked there for 36 years, retiring in 2004 as a staff photographer.

He married Jane Ismay September 5, 1970, in Denver, Colorado. They had two children, John William and Susan Cynthia. Bill loved his family very much and was a devoted father and husband. He had a great sense of humor and made life fun and interesting while providing steady guidance and care.

In June 2000, Bill and Jane purchased a house at Sinclair, WY where they spent weekends and vacations enjoying Seminoe Reservoir, the Snowy Range, and all of South Central Wyoming away from the busy Colorado Front Range. Beautiful, friendly Sinclair became home for them after they retired.

Bill is survived by his wife Jane, his son, John, wife Jennifer, John’s daughter Caroline and her husband Chris DiEno, their son Declan; John’s sons Dylan and Luke Curtis; all of John’s family lives in the Philadelphia, PA area; Bill’s daughter, Susan, husband Jim Eddy, their sons, JT and Jack of Cheyenne, WY. Also surviving are Bill’s siblings Ray and Betty Curtis, Larry and Lucy Curtis, Cindy and Richard Temple, Debby Curtis, and Alan Curtis, as well as many nieces, nephews, and extended family.