CURTIS LAMAR DEGRAW

Curtis LaMar DeGraw, of Ada, OK, passed from this mortal life to the next on September 21, 2013 of natural causes incident to age. He was 75 years old.
Curtis was born October 23, 1937 in Payson, Utah to Loren Sylvester (Bus) DeGraw, Jr. and Sarah Harriet (Sadie) Terry DeGraw. He was the third of ten children. He attended school in Payson, Utah, graduating from Payson High School, then served in the US Marine Corps before serving an LDS mission in Northern California. He married his sweetheart, Nora Jane Westover on March 29, 1961 in the Salt Lake City LDS temple. Together, they raised eight children (losing one daughter to a stillbirth) in a home full of love and the gospel of Jesus Christ later serving as a missionary couple in South Carolina.
Curtis worked in the printing business, then as an elementary school custodian at Wilson Elementary School in Payson, Utah. He was a surrogate father and grandfather to his "school children" and was known for his work ethic, dependability, loyalty and humor. He lived most of his life in West Mountain and Santaquin, Utah – moving with Nora to Ada, OK in 2010 to be near a son and daughter and their families who lived there.
Curtis was a humble man. He loved his family, his religion, his friends, hunting, fishing, listening to music, and most of all, his wife – his eternal companion. He loved her truly, deeply and exclusively. They were married for 52 years and were a testament to the power of complete love and fidelity. He sacrificed greatly for her and for his children, exemplifying the statement, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." He willingly laid down his life to support his wife in her need, picking up a life he never imagined previously. That simple act will be remembered and revered by his family and all who know of it, although he never spoke of it himself. Talking of it was not something such a humble man would think of doing. It needed to be done, so he did it. Truly, quietly and privately, he lifted where he stood.
Curtis is survived his wife, Nora; his eight children, Michelle Barlow, Ray DeGraw, Camille Hollinger, Kathryn Thayne, Cynthia Harward, Lance DeGraw, Merrill DeGraw and Misty Goza; 33 grandchildren; 10 great grandchildren; and six brothers and sisters. He was preceded in death by his parents, a daughter, grandchild, two brothers, and sister.
Services will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Ada, Oklahoma. Bishop Bobby Gene Niblett, Jr. will officiate. Burial will follow at Pontotoc Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be from 9:30 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. prior to the service. The Chickasaw Honor Guard will conduct military honors at the cemetery.
Bearers will be Tyler DeGraw, Brennon DeGraw, Ray DeGraw, Lance DeGraw, Spencer DeGraw, Steven Goza and Tanner Goza.
More importantly than any donation, his family asks that each person who knew and loved Curtis renew an individual commitment to love and serve others – that all who wish to honor him do so by accepting and internalizing the Savior's words:
"Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
He would prefer to be honored by what we do, how we live and who we become more than by anything we might say.
Obituaries may be viewed and online condolences sent to criswellfh.com.

Criswell Funeral Home, Ada