Caren Ann (Lomas, Silva) Curtis

Caren A. Curtis succumbed in the early morning of Friday, April 17, 2009, due to complications arising from ovarian cancer, surrounded by her children at her time of death. She was 68 years old.

Born to Robert John and Virginia Matilda (Zimmerman) Curtis in Alexandria, Minn., the family moved to Eastern Washington in 1950, where she attended school in Northport, Wash., before settling in Moses Lake, where she graduated high school in 1959. Her jobs included a “car hop,” telephone operator and even worked at the potato plant just outside of town.

Moving to Tacoma, Wash., to raise her family, she was employed at the employment security department, where she became friends with the Hawaiian/Philipino community whose love and support remains strong today. She worked as an accountant at local bowling alleys which lead to one of her favorite pastimes bowling. Her ability to track numbers gave her the opportunity to become a statistician for the Hawaii Nie baseball team. She had a great love of the Seattle Mariners and we think this is where it stemmed from.

Later, with her children grown, she helped her sister Lois in business ventures that took her to Port Angeles, Sequim, Wash., and Lake Tahoe, Calif. This was a time in her life that she truly enjoyed, meeting new friends and being surrounded by the stunning beauty of these areas.

In the late 1990s she returned to Moses Lake to help care for her ailing mother.

Here she worked as an in-home care giver and at the Second Harvest Food Bank, and spent her spare time with the Lionesses and Red Hat Society, She also enjoyed picking up with her mothers friends at the Garden Club.

After her mother’s passing she took to travel. Though she never made the cruise to Alaska, she made trips to Minnesota to maintain contacts with aunts, uncles and cousins.

Likewise she started trips to Northport, enjoying class reunions and the company of friends, family and cousins that were part of the “Curtis Clan” in those early school years.

She created friendships that remained strong and cherished, maintaining contact with her friends and family throughout her life. Her knowledge of family past and the lives that were lived before us will be greatly missed.

Her special ability was to be there for everyone to lend a helping hand, or just to listen without judgment.

Caren was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Virginia Curtis, of Moses Lake, two brothers, Gary Robert Curtis of Brookings, Ore., and Michael Duane Curtis of Royal Slope.

She is survived by: sister, Lois Jean Wickwire of Denver, Colo.; brother, Dean Allan Curtis of Kettle Falls, Wash.; sons, Mark Allan Lomas of Tacoma, Wash., and Steven Keith Lomas of San Diego, Calif., and children, Nathaniel and Joseph Lomas; daughters, Dawn Rochelle (James) Tederman, of Puyallup, Wash., and children, Cristopher Aldrich, Kelsey and Kaylie Dauth; Denise Danielle Lomas of Spanaway, Wash., and children, son, Joshua Lomas; Leigh Anne (Peter) Davis of Lakewood, Wash., and children, Zackary and Nicholas Davis, along with many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and in-laws.

Though Caren loved all who were in her life, she had a special spot for her mother, sister, sister-in-law Sandra Curtis, and son-in-law Peter Davis.

She will be greatly missed by all that knew her.

We all have tough times as we go through life, and Caren did also. But friends and family always came through with just what was needed, even if it was just a meal.

If you would like to make a donation in her name, please make it to the Second Harvest Food Bank or the local food bank in your area.