Curtis F. Link Sr.
August 25, 1921 - November 28, 2009
Obituary
Our beloved father and grandfather, Curtis F. ‘Hoppy’ Link Sr. passed away November 28, 2009 in Kirkland, Washington, with family by his side. He was 88.
Curtis was born in Simpson, Montana on August 25, 1921 to Edwin and Clara Link. He was one of 16 children. His family moved from the homestead in 1934 to Hinsdale, Montana. In 1935, he went to live with his sister, Ruth, in eastern Washington. At 16, he joined the Civil Conservation Corps CCC. He married Letha Fugate in 1940 and they had two daughters, Linda and Barbara. They divorced in June of 1948. In 1944, he was drafted into the army where he fought and was wounded in WWII. He remarried on October 23, 1948 to Violet ‘Vi’ Hurley; she had two children from a previous marriage, Rita and Ray. Together they had three children, Chuck, Judy and Corky. In the late forties, he owned a couple of logging trucks with a partner on Bainbridge Island, then the company had some problems and they lost the trucks. The family moved to Seattle when he got a job working for Valley Construction in 1950. In 1953, they moved to Duvall and he started working for Frank Coluccio Construction Company in Seattle. His co-workers nicknamed him ‘Hoppy’ because he hopped on and off the machines or because he could operate any machine that they asked him to hop on. After all the kids were grown, Curt and Vi were able to travel to California, Oregon and Montana while he continued working for Frank Coluccio Construction. He worked with them for 30 years until he retired in 1983. He has been a member of the Operating Engineers Union Local 302 since September 4, 1953.
They moved to Kirkland in 1969, but it was only for a short time before they moved back to the valley in 1972 when they bought the farm. The farm was Curtis’ project for after his retirement where he could grow a corn crop every year and sell hay from his fields. He loved nothing better than tinkering in the barn or riding around the field on his tractor. Sometimes Vi would have to go looking for him or send one of the kids or grandkids looking for him because she wouldn’t see him for hours. The farm was the place for all of the family gatherings and you could always find at least one grandchild running around helping him with his daily projects whether they were little or big. They loved spending time helping and learning from him. He was always great at listening and offering advice if you needed it. No one was a stranger to him; he could talk to anyone for hours. He was a long-time member of the American Legion and Sno-Valley Senior Center.
Mr. Link is preceded in death by his wife, Violet ‘Vi’, son, Curtis Jr. ‘Corky’ parents, Edwin and Clara, sisters, Gladys Atkinson , Caroline Galati, Ruth Larsen, Violet Weed, Bertha Wright and Julia Hall, brothers, James, William, Ronald, Ross, Wilfred and Oliver. He is survived by two sisters, Geneva Hawes and Kitty Miller and one brother, Donald Link and four daughters, Rita Jack Dove of Tonasket, WA, Linda Roger Langelier of Seattle, WA, Barbara Reeve of Eugene, OR and Judy Rod Thompson of Kirkland, WA and two sons, Raymond Carroll Elstad of Neskowin, OR and Chuck Suzette Link of League City, TX, 18 Grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren.
A funeral service will be held at Washington Memorial Funeral Home Chapel at noon on Friday, December 4, 2009 with graveside service at 1:00 PM. The family invites you to a gathering at the American Legion Hall at 31951 East Bird in Carnation from 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
It was a pleasure to have known Curtis and his family. He will be missed. Our sincere condolences.
Nancy and Doug Benedict