Bertha Mae Pascal Curtis

Bertha Mae Pascal Curtis of Palatka, was born January 14, 1932 in Smithville, Tennessee and passed away December 18, 2017, at her home in Palatka.
She was employed by Winn Dixie, the St. Johns River Jr. College and retired from the District School Board of Putnam County in 1993, where she was employed for 25 years.
Bertha was an active member of Tabernacle Baptist Church for 30 years, she was a teacher in Church Training, and was nursery coordinator for years. She has been an active member of Peniel Baptist Church since 1994. She taught a children’s Sunday school class and was also a nursery worker. She was active in missions work. Peniel Baptist Church members were active in starting a new church in Palm Coast, Florida. She and her husband, Joe, committed a year to be one of the workers for the nursery. She was a teacher for 4 and 5 year old girls for two years when a new church was begun in Flagler Estates. She also attended Country Church, which was called Cowboy Church at the time, in Palatka at the Horseman’s Club for five years.
Bertha loved to travel and visit with her many friends in Palatka. She enjoyed quilting and all of her children, grandchildren and many others in Putnam County cherish the blanket hand made for them by “Big Bertha” as she was known! She made and gave as gifts over 100 beautiful hand quilted blankets.
You can tell by all the pictures that her grandchildren and great grandchildren loved her as much as she loved them. The kids loved hearing her stories about growing up and listening to her words of wisdom. She taught them to be humble and kind and stand up for themselves no matter what.
Bertha and her husband Joe could be found every morning reading the paper and drinking their cup of coffee. Bertha always shared her opinion about the daily chronicles if you were lucky enough to be there for the morning read!
Bertha was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, Joe Curtis, and her infant son, Gary Alan Curtis; her parents Leonard and Evelyn Pascal; a sister, Alvernia Pascal; her brother Lorenz Newbern Pascal; and her beloved granddaughter, Kristen Curtis of Riviera Beach.
Bertha is survived by her sister in law Rosemary Pascal of Palatka; her sister in law Nora Young (Joe) of Alexandria, Tenn.; her brother in law, Doyle (Margaret) Curtis of Liberty, Tenn.; many more beloved nieces and nephews; her sons, Richard (Ruth) Curtis of Port St. Lucie, Michael (Suzanne) Curtis of Palatka and Jeffery Curtis of Hollister; grandchildren Brian (Alycia) Curtis, and his mother, Annette Bellemore, of Port Orange; Aaron (Marcella) Curtis of Palatka; Ashley (Joe) Massengale of Canton, Ga.; Casey (Sarah) Curtis of Port Saint Lucie; Austin (Rachel) Curtis of Palatka; Tyler (Lehla) Curtis of San Francisco, Jordan Sharp of Palatka; Alyssa Curtis of Valdosta, Ga.; and Jessalyn “Scout” (Vic) of Provo, Utah; and her great-grandchildren , Kylie Curtis, Lauryn Curtis, Logan Curtis, Bailey Curtis, Madison Massengale, Will McKee, Kylie Cameron, Madison Curtis, Hailey Cameron, Sophia Curtis, Bella Curtis, Aiden Curtis, Kinslee Curtis, Maximus Curtis and Icarus Curtis.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Peniel Baptist Church Building Fund, 5227 Silver Lake Dr., Palatka, FL 32177, or Hospice of Citrus and the Nature Coast, 927 S. State Road 19, Palatka, FL 32177. Memories and Condolences may be expressed to the family at Bertha’s Book of Memories page at www.JohnsonOverturffunerals.com.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday, December 29 at Peniel Baptist Church with Dr. Benny Reynolds officiating. Burial will follow at Oak Hill West Cemetery in Palatka. The family will receive friends 5-7 p.m. Thursday, December 28 at Johnson-Overturf Funeral Home in Palatka.
Arrangements are under the direction of Johnson-Overturf Funeral Home in Palatka.