Dennis Curtis
April 21, 1950 - May 21, 2020

Stephenson-Dearman Funeral Home 943 Highway 425 North Monticello, AR 71655 Map & Directions

Dennis Ray Curtis, age 70, passed away on Thursday, May 21, 2020, at his favorite place, the family hunting camp in Vilonia, AR. He was born on April 21, 1950, to Tommy Pauline Hankins and Doyne Curtis. His parents and his younger brother, John Thomas Curtis preceded him in death.
His childhood was spent in the Ozark Mountains in the small town of Pelsor, AR. This was something he was very proud of so his nickname while attending The University of Arkansas became just that, Pelsor. His mother’s family established the Hankins General Store in the early 1920’s on AR Scenic HWY 7 where he spent countless hours helping his grandparents. In addition to helping at the family store, he was also a cook at Booger Hollow Trading Post. He definitely lived the country life; he even had a pet bear cub. He was a star athlete competing in various sports at Dover High School and continued his passion for basketball by playing for the Razorback Basketball team. He also was a member of the Alpha Zeta Chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha where many life long friendships began. Due to the sudden passing of his father, he dropped out of college his junior year to return home to help his mom and his younger siblings.
During this time, he began his over 20-year career at Stephens, Inc. His initial role was on the Fixed Income desk and final position on the Institutional Equity sales team. In 1974, he met the love of his life, Evelyn “Lyn” McQueen. The country boy was overcome by the delta darling’s charm and beauty! They married in Dermott, AR on January 22, 1977 and settled in Little Rock. Lyn’s encouragement convinced Dennis to finish his college degree at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, making him the first in his family to achieve this accomplishment. He and Lyn had two children, Kelley McQueen Curtis and Dennis Ray Curtis, Jr. They moved to Cabot in 1986 where he coached countless tee-ball, baseball, softball, and basketball teams for his kids. He even built a baseball field for the teams next to his house to ensure he would never miss a practice. He also served a number of terms on the Cabot School Board, one of which as President. He was a huge supporter of the Cabot School System and their athletic programs. Dennis also loved his time playing golf with friends at Rolling Hills Country Club while living in Cabot.
Dennis and Lyn moved back to Little Rock to be near their children and grandchildren. Being a dedicated father helped to prepare him for his next role as a grandfather. Becoming “Gdad” to Grant, Jackson, and Dennis was one of his greatest joys, and he was actively involved in their lives. He was so excited to spend more time teaching his grandsons to hunt and fish. As a Christian, he was always an active member in his church, most recently serving as Elder at First Christian Church in Little Rock. He was also very active in fundraising for the Pike House Project in the past 7 years which resulted in the Alpha Zeta Chapter getting a beautifully updated house.
In 1996 he founded The Curtis Team while he was a Vice President/Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch. Shortly thereafter his daughter joined the team followed by his son where they witnessed his passion for helping his clients achieve their financial dreams. Dennis obtained the Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) certification from The Wharton Business School. In 2011, The Curtis Team opened Stifel’s Little Rock branch where they continue to serve their clients. Dennis obtained the title of Senior Vice President/Investments at Stifel where he continuously was a member of the firm’s Chairman/President’s Council. He was always proud to have his children follow in his footsteps and they will continue his legacy with The Curtis Team at Stifel.
Dennis’ humor will never be forgotten. He had a gift for making people laugh and brightening their day. Not only was he the life of the party, he also was a selfless person with a very generous and warm heart. Dennis was committed to giving back to his community. He would give the shirt off his back to someone in need.
He is survived and loved by his family, his wife of 43 years, Evelyn “Lyn” Curtis, his children, Kelley McQueen Dunlap (Dr. Bryan) and Dennis “DJ” Ray Curtis Jr. (Rachael) both of Little Rock, and his adored grandchildren, William “Grant” Grantham Dunlap III, Jackson McQueen Dunlap, and Dennis Ray Curtis III. Other survivors include his sister, Annie Norris (Alan), sister-in-law, Maxine Curtis and nephews, TJ Curtis, Dustin Curtis, Andrew Norris and Aaron Norris as well as cousin, Camille Bennett (Wayne). A private service for family will be held at 10:30 a.m. on June 1, 2020 which will be streamed live on www.stephensondearman.com and a celebration of life will be scheduled at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) Little Rock Chapter, 11324 Arcade Dr., Suite 16, Little Rock, AR 72212, phone number 501-217-0321, or charity of choice.

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