Rhys Curtis

PERSONAL INFORMATION:

Name when in high school yearbook:   Rhys Curtis

High school nickname:   Just Rhys in all its pronunciations is all I remember. (Except for Mr. Sebeson who insisted in calling me Richard in Chemistry class)

Legal name today:   Richard R. Curtis (not much different but the Army and other governmental agencies sure don't appreciate middle names)

What do people call you now? :   Friends still call me Rhys while solicitors ask for Richard or Rich.  Makes it easy to differentiate.  I do use Richard if I'm trying to pass myself off as the writer of Four Weddings and a Funeral.

Address:  110 McKinley Ave.  Kenmore, NY 14217 (just outside Buffalo)

Email contact:    rrcurtis@buffalo.edu

Phone number:   716-875-3115

CURRENT LIFE SITUATION:

Retired for about a year and a half.  My wife's been retired for two years.  We do some local volunteer work and are looking to expand our travel schedule. 

FAMILY HISTORY:

I met my future wife Christine Collins (Chris) just before going on active duty in '69 after grad school.  We were married in '71 while I was stationed in Germany and spent the next year and a half there before finishing my active duty in Arizona.  After a year's job hunting spent in East Lansing, we moved to Buffalo, NY and have been here ever since.  In spite of the national weather reports the Buffalo area is a great place to live, work, and raise a family.  We have two children, E. Anne (there's that middle name business again), who lives in London with her spouse Francesco and our grandson Max, and David R., who lives in Rochester, NY.  They both live interesting lives but we probably see more of Anne than David for the two obvious reasons.

CURRENT HOBBIES AND INTERESTS:

Chris and I have sung with the Westminster Presbyterian Church choir almost since we arrived in Buffalo.  We and descerning others consider it the premier chuch choir in Western New York.  We have been performing major works similar to the kind of music Bill Steiner had us do since 7th grade in East Lansing.  I owe him a lot for my musical upbringing.  We also play in a handbell choir.  Beyond that and our work experiences (Chris was a middle school French teacher) we plan to expand our volunteer activities and hit the road (seas or air) for the places we haven't seen and the people we've missed over the years.  (If only we'd known that Ron Evans was at UCSD when we were there for a conference a few years back.)  There are still places in London we need to see in spite of almost 10 years visiting there.

CLAIMS TO FAME:

Unfortunately or fortunately, none.  (Since I can't really claim Four Weddings.. or Nodding Hill)

ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO SHARE:

I'm just getting started on Facebook and don't want to intrude on anyone's friends pattern but would love to add any of you to my friends list.  We are really looking forward to seeing you all in person so we can expand on the things listed here and hear your life histories in greater detail.

EDUCATION, MILITARY SERVICE OR TRAINING  AFTER ELHS:

Michigan State University - BA '67 Social Sciences, MA '69 College Student Personnel

US Army Reserve - 4 years active duty, 24 years Reserve duty.  Retired as Lieutenant Colonel.  Commanded an Ammunition Battalion with no Ammunition Companies at one point.

WORK HISTORY:

1974-2012 University at Buffalo - University Residence Halls (and other assorted names as they are now Campus Living)  I started as an Area Coordinator and ended as an Associate Director.  My most significant accomplishment was coordinating the wiring and development of the computing network and internet connections for UB's residence halls and apartments.  It was most interesting to be on the cutting edge of new technology, all because I took one beginning programming course in the early 80s.