Judy Ann Curtis

Judy Ann Curtis, age 79, passed away at her long-time home in Manassas, Virginia, Tuesday January 2, after a 2 year-long battle with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) - also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Judy Ann Armstrong was born on July 31st, 1944, in Madison, Wisconsin to father, Roger Armstrong and mother, Evelyn Schuld. She grew up on her family’s farm in Mattoon, Illinois where she would meet her future husband of 56 years, Gene Curtis, of Windsor, Illinois. Having grown up on a farm, Judy was an incredibly resourceful and talented woman. Very intelligent, she harbored a life-long love of learning, which led her to a 20-year career as an elementary school teacher, but also drew her into many creative endeavors and activities. Artistic painting, decorating, cooking, sewing, gardening, landscaping, traveling, the practice of Reiki and Feng Shui were all activities she pursued, loved, and frequently excelled at. She had a deep appreciation for the many beautiful things in life, like nature, music, art, and culture. A prolific reader and educator, she instilled this love of learning into her children – ensuring a college education for both. After receiving her college degree from Eastern Illinois University in 1966, she married her high-school sweetheart, Gene, and had their first child, Michelle Lynn Curtis in Carbondale, Illinois. Shortly thereafter, the family moved to Manassas Virginia where they have lived ever since – apart from a few brief overseas stints. The family lived overseas in Athens, Greece, for about 3 years where their son, Shannon Ty Curtis, was born in 1973. After a brief return to Manassas, the family then lived in a countryside cottage in England for 3 years in the late 1970’s - further expanding their exposure to different cultures. Judy always insisted on authentic experiences and culture and opted not to live on military bases, but in the midst of the locals, while sending her children to the local British schools. Extremely outgoing, charismatic, and gregarious, she was not a forgettable woman. Judy would converse with anyone as if she’d known them for years – “no such thing as a stranger”. She was very generous, frequently donating to charitable causes. A financially savvy person, Judy began investing in real estate early in life and eventually parleyed this into their own LLC with property holdings around their beloved vacation home on Oak Island, North Carolina, which the family and friends have been enjoying for 30 years. Wherever Judy lived, she developed deep and lasting relationships with friends, with whom she was an impassioned hostess for on innumerable occasions and events. Her parties and get-togethers are unforgettable to many. This can only be attributed to her incredible generosity, warmth, and fun-loving attitude towards life. In summer of 2016, it was discovered that Judy had an advanced form of breast cancer, and the prognosis was not good. But with the love of her family and friends she endured the chemical and radiation therapies that would end up saving her life. By 2018, with the help of incredible medical care, Judy had been declared cancer free, and she was on the road to recovery and more years with her friends and loved ones. But in summer 2022, after 8 months of symptoms, Judy was diagnosed with the terminal disease ALS. The impact she has had on people’s lives became quite evident in the immediate and sustained outpouring of support from her network of friends and loved ones, as they helped her navigate this final part of her life. No question, Judy made an impression and impact on everyone she met – from the hundreds of students that came through her classroom, the multitude of lifelong friends she had developed, to her loving family who stayed by her side through the end of her journey. We are all a little bit better and happier people for having had her in our lives and she will never be forgotten by the many whom she touched. We deeply grieve the loss of this truly one-of-a-kind woman from our lives, but take comfort in her peaceful rest, and know that she will always live on inside of us - through our cherished memories and the impact that she had on us all. Judy is survived by her ever-loving husband Gene, brother Todd Armstrong, daughter Michelle Thompson, and son Shannon. Her ashes will be spread in the two places she loved most: her home in Manassas, VA and her home on Oak Island, NC. These each will be accompanied by a celebration of life - with those details to be released (on this site) in the near future. In lieu of sending flowers, the family would ask that any gifts would be in the form of donations in Judy’s name to the ALS Association (please check the box that says, "Dedicate my donation in honor or memory of someone"). Donations link: https://donate.als.org/give/314333/#!/donation/checkout

Judy Ann Curtis

January 2, 2024