Thomas Curtis Jr.

Thomas Porter Curtis Jr. of Cross Plains TN, native of Hendersonville TN, passed away peacefully on Tuesday June 30th, 2020. Son of the late T.P. Curtis Sr and Willie Byrne Curtis, he was born in the area of what we know now as Rivergate on the family farm. He was a sturdy man, always took care of his family and friends. He loved all kinds of sports including hunting, fishing, gunsmithing, home building, boat racing, and boat manufacturing. He studied and mastered everything he put his mind to.

Early in his life, he worked on the family farm then the family Hendersonville Shell gas station, the only gas station in Hendersonville at the time. He married Patricia Thompson, he started a boat business, and he had three sons, Thomas P. Curtis III (Tippy), Charles M. Curtis (Mike), and Golden T. Curtis (Tommy). It was in the many facets of the boat business that he trained his sons to become men.

In 1973, he met and married his second wife, Dorthey Joan Howes (Joan). Together, they built several businesses including the last one, the Tip Curtis Frontier Shop. They traveled all over the U.S.A. to some of the most wonderful parks and early American rendezvous events, selling their vintage rifles, pistols, and early American period supplies.

In the later stages of his life, he devoted himself to the art of building some of the most beautiful early American and early European flintlock and cap-lock rifles that were highly sought after by men and women around the world. He, as lifetime member of the NRA, the NMLRA, and the APBA boat racing sociality.

His awards are numerous, too many to numerate. Honorable mentions are the 1969 APBA OPC World Boat Racing Champion at the Miami Marine Stadium, National Champion of the NRA and NMLRA events and rendezvous, and Match Champion of the NRA and NMLRA events and rendezvous for many years.

Thomas Porter is preceded in death by his parents, Thomas and Willie Curtis, and his wife, Joan Curtis.

Thomas Porter is survived by Tippy and Karen Curtis and their daughter Courtney Curtis, son Porter Curtis IV and his future wife, Jessica, and grandson Porter Curtis V, and son Steven and Chelsey Curtis and grandchildren Jason and Cheyenne. He is survived by Mike and Shela Curtis and grandson Werner. He is also survived by Tommy and Pilar Curtis and grandchildren Ariana and Marcelo. His cousins are Patsy Curtis and Jean Deaton.

A private service will be held on July 8th, 2020 at Hendersonville Memory Gardens, Funeral Home & Cremation Center.