Martha “Gertrude” Curtis (4-15-17)

Martha “Gertrude” Delaney Curtis, 102, of Hiawassee, Georgia, passed away on Saturday, April 15.
She was a longtime resident of Hardin County, having moved to Gulf Shores, Alabama, in 1997. She had recently moved to Hiawassee, Georgia, to live with her daughter.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Daniel Jefferson Curtis; her parents, Ernest Edward Delaney and Sarah Arminta Wicker. She was also preceded in death by four siblings, Manley and Joe Delaney, Cora Delaney Thrasher and Ova Delaney Blanton; and one son-in-law, Billy James Phillips.
Mrs. Curtis was a graduate of Shiloh High School where she met her husband Dan. They were active in the Shiloh community and West Shiloh Baptist Church for a number of years. They were part of a committee that started the annual Shiloh High School Reunion which still meets annually. They moved to Savannah in 1954 and were very active in First Baptist Church. Mr. Curtis was employed by Citizen’s Bank and Mrs. Curtis was employed by Brown Shoe Company.
After Mr. Curtis’s death and at the wishes of her family to move closer, Mrs. Curtis, at age 83, moved from Hardin County for the first time in her life to a condo in Gulf Shore, Alabama. She became active there in First Baptist Church and other community activities. In 2007, due to health reasons, she moved to Live Oak Assisted Living where she lived for 10 years before moving to Hiawassee, Georgia, in February 2017.
Mrs. Curtis was an inspiration to her family, friends and neighbors. She was known in the community lovingly as Mama Curtis. She was a multi-talented homemaker and avid sports fan. She was also interested in local, state and national politics. She was a self-taught Bible scholar and a reader of her Bible until her death.
She is survived by two daughters, Sue Curtis Phillips of Orange Beach, Alabama and Jane Curtis Carter (Conley) of Hiawassee, Georgia; four granchildren, Joni Blalock, Gina Campisi, Leigh Ann Fisher (Jon) and Curtis Carter; seven great-grandchildren, Britney Blalock, Lindsay Blalock, Bernard Nesbitt, Alex Campisi, Joe Campisi, Frankie Campisi and Marc Fisher; one great-great-grandson, Royce Jameson Matthews; and a number of nieces and nephews.
Shackelford Funeral Directors in charge of arrangements.In lieu of flowers please make a memorial donation to First Baptist Church Savannah.