Michael Glyn Curtis
Jan. 28, 1939 ~ March 21, 2022
Michael passed over gently at Lady Minto Hospital. He is survived by April, his wife of 54 years, his daughter Malindi Curtis and his grandson Gabriel.
Born in Britain during WWII and raised in London, he later followed family tradition and joined the RAF. This started his interest traveling the world as he was sent into the Malayan conflict. After his service, he eventually became a British Steel export sales rep and was sent to Libya, Kenya, Spain Shanghai, America and finally, Thailand. While he was working in Bangkok, he met April and they married two months later.
They returned to England via Katmandu, Nepal and a year later moved to the Monterey Peninsula in California. Finally, they traveled north to Canada where they found their forever home above Weston Lake on South Salt Spring Island where he lived for 45 years.
He was an author, artist, actor, athlete, artisan, and amigo. Life with Michael was always an adventure. He wrote the following poem about 3 months before his passage into a new form of existence.
High on Harmony Hill Hummingbirds hover
Thrusting their beaks into the hearts of heavenly blossoms
Raccoons roam in search of anything
As a gentle doe grazes knowingly in the garden
While robins eat the last of this season’s cherries
Rats in the attic gnaw on my guitar case
Waiting for night to plunder the breadbasket
In bed, Bella teaches April the secret language of cats
Oblivious of the mice scavenging the bread crumbs
left by the rats
It’s another lovely day on Salt Spring
Michael was laid to rest with music, songs, and love by a circle of longtime friends in the Natural Cemetery in the heart of the Fulford Valley.
We will remember Michael for having the hardiest, heartiest laugh in the universe. Oleh b’shalom (go in peace), Michael. — Shilo & Jane
My heart goes out to you, April and Malindi, a wonderful gent indeed. I absolutely love his last poem.
April ~
Early days, those halcyon lakes, Beaver Point Boogies
and ‘three sitting’ Bean Suppers with table flotillas of home made pies bearing bright flags of small nations ~ Fulford Valley apples, Stewart Road blackberries.