MONMOUTH – Curtis Edwin Willey, 43, died unexpectedly Tuesday morning, March 15, 2011, in Augusta, while participating in one of his favorite pastimes. He was born Sept. 1, 1967, in Richmond, Va., and raised by his parents, Sandra and Robert Willey, in Strasburg, Va.
Curtis was the youngest of three children, an avid athlete and a light to all that new him.
He participated in football, basketball and track in high school and is still well remembered for his athletic achievements since graduating in 1985. He attended college for a while after high school and then enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1987. He served in Operation Desert Shield/Storm with the 1st Battalion, 2nd Division Marines from Camp Lejeune and earned the Kuwait Liberation Medal, National Defense Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal with three stars, and had always been proud of being chosen to participate in their water safety and survival instructors’ course. After his service time he attended Tidewater Community College with eventual transfer to James Madison University, where he graduated in December 1994 with a Bachelor of Business Administration and a major in computer information systems. He then went to work for Verizon, Silver Spring, Md., where he was employed from 1995 until 2004, making lasting friendships with fellow coworkers as a data base administrator. In 1999, during rehabilitation from a severe knee injury, he became involved in triathlons. This became a passionate pastime for him and he competed in the Columbia Triathlon, Eagle man half iron man, great Floridian, Chesapeake Bay swim and his crowning achievement was the completion of Ironman California in 2001. The bonds and friendships he developed during this time with fellow triatheletes were everlasting; one strong friendship forged was with Joseph Liberto and resulted in his job at Immediate Mortgage from 2004 until 2007. In 2007 Curtis moved to Maine with his wife and children, where he attended Kennebec Valley Community College and was eventually accepted into the physical therapy program at University of New England, where he was attending at the time of his death. Curtis was a devoted father and had the fortunate opportunity to be a semi-stay-at-home dad while taking his undergrad classes at KVCC – time that his children will always cherish. They were the light of his life and his pride, love and nurturing for them will always be remembered. Curtis had many fond memories from childhood, in particular his time spent camping and fishing with his grandparents, ocean trips with his parents and sisters, family meals at “memaw’s,” and escapades with childhood friends whom remained loyal and
devoted friends for life including Doug Lam, Tim and Tony Paper, Ed Palmer, Darryl Brill and so many more than can be listed. His favorite times as an adult were with
his family on the outer banks of North Carolina, taking his kids four-wheeling and moose spotting in Northern Maine, and family time at his parents’ poolside.
Curtis is survived by his wife, friend and mother of his children, Brittany (Walton) Willey, who cannot put into words the love and devotion she felt for him; three beautiful and heartbroken children, Emmeline Page Willey, 12, Delaney Grace Willey, 9, and little Bailey Jack Willey, 6; loving and devoted parents, Sandra (Polk) Willey and Robert E. Willey Jr. of Strasburg, Va.; loving older sister, Crystal (Willey) Keller and her husband, Andrew Keller, and their son, Brandon Keller, all of Strasburg, Va.; and loving sister, Carla (Willey) Scott and her husband, Dannie Scott, and their children, Ellie and Colt Scott, of Strasburg, Va. Curtis evoked lifelong friendships wherever he went, had an extremely loyal and devoted family who are all heartbroken, and who are all so fortunate to have been able to be a part of this wonderful man’s life.
Local funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, March 19, at Bragdon-Finley Funeral Home, 707 Main St., Monmouth. Interment will be at Riverview Cemetery, Strasburg, Va., after the funeral service at Stover Funeral Home, 177 North Holliday St., Strasburg, Va. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Willey Children’s Education Fund, 251 Norris Hill Road, Monmouth, ME 04259. Messages of condolence may be sent to
www.finleyfuneralhome.com or www.stoverfuneralhome.com.