Michael Stephens Curtis

On March 4, 2026, Michael Stephens Curtis left this life at the age of 81 years after a lengthy illness. He was preceded in death by his parents, Frank E. Curtis, Jr. and Virginia Curtis, and his sister, Carolyn. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Dale, daughters Amanda (Jacob) and Lara, niece Michelle, a grandson and three granddaughters. Born in Dallas, TX on July 27, 1944, he moved as a child to Roswell, NM, and graduated high school there. During his youth, spending money was earned selling Spudnuts door-to-door, a newspaper delivery route and work as a mechanic in a local repair garage. He could often be found with neighborhood friends disassembling his father’s lawn mower to construct such items as go-carts and an airplane flown, without injury, from his home’s rooftop.

His service in the U.S. Army from 1965 to 1967 took him to Honolulu, HI, where he served as a surgeon’s assistant and member of the unit's Chemical, Biological & Radiological (CBR) response team at Tripler Army Medical Center. Despite 12-hour shifts in the operating room tending the wounds of Vietnam War casualties, he found time to learn to scuba dive and enjoy the local culture.

Mike graduated on the Dean’s list from New Mexico State University with a B.S. degree in Biology and Chemistry in 1972. His military medical training served him well during his employment with the campus health center, where he was a paramedic for student related injuries and illnesses. His M.S. degree in Environmental Science was earned at East Tennessee State University in 1976, along with a love for and participation in the music of the area.

His work with the New Mexico Environmental Improvement Agency included serving as Chief of the Occupational Safety and Health Bureau, as well as work in the Water Quality Bureau, where he developed a training and certification system for water and wastewater treatment system operators.

In 1982, Mike was a co-founder of CERL, Inc., an environmental consulting and training firm with offices in Santa Fe and Albuquerque. His duties as President of the company and the broad spectrum of services offered provided ample opportunities for his fertile mind to develop practical solutions to environmental health problems. Mike was at the forefront of recognizing indoor mold growth as a significant problem, and he assisted innumerable clients in the identification and correction of mold related situations. He was a participating member of the national ASTM committee tasked with developing standards for assessing mold situations and the quality of mold abatement projects. Teaching such courses as asbestos management, illicit drug identification and cleanup, hazardous waste management, mold inspection and abatement, and many others provided the opportunity to share his knowledge and enthusiasm for identifying and solving environmental health problems in a cost effective and safe manner.

Mike approached life with a wonderful, quiet sense of humor and a get-it-done attitude. Whether it was the construction of his home, with the assistance of his wife and friends, keeping his beloved Jeep CJ-5 in good condition, learning a new guitar or banjo song, or cooking delicious breakfasts, he was able to organize the tasks to be done and systematically accomplish them. Renowned for his one-line “Mike-isms”, nearly every task, meeting, presentation and conversation was tinged with some humor.

A life-long avid outdoorsman, Mike thoroughly enjoyed the serenity of fly-fishing, the challenges of hunting season, and the opportunities to swap stories about them with his friends and brother-in-law. An active member of the Rio Grande Brigade for many years, he was accomplished in the use and care of black-powder rifles and pistols, and enjoyed sharing gun-lore with others. Mike was a very loving and devoted husband and father who encouraged his daughters in their various activities. Each remembers learning to fish, shoot, and camp in the woods with his coaching, and still enjoy using that knowledge. Mike will be remembered with much love and respect by his family, and will be sorely missed by those privileged to know him. A private celebration of his life is planned for the future. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in his memory be made to the East Tennessee State University Foundation, Environmental Health area of support (etsu.edu/give, or mail to University Advancement, ETSU, PO Box 70721, Johnson City, TN 37614-1710) or other educational institution of one’s choice.