Artis Curtis Masingill, Jr.

Curtis Masingill, a resident of Natchitoches, Louisiana, went to be with the Lord on August 3rd. He was preceded in death by his parents A. C. and Jo Masingill. He is survived by his wife, Vickie (Northup); sister Mary Jo Whittington (of Santa Fe, TX) and her family; sister Bunny and husband Steve Mork (of St. Charles, MO) and family; granddaughter Camille Lesko and son-in-law Billy Lesko of Fairbanks, AK. Curtis graduated from Natchitoches High School in 1954, then served in the U.S. Marine Corps (3rd Div. 12th Reg.) for four years (boot camp at Pendleton, CA; stationed 18 months atop Mt. Fuji; then at Kaneohe Bay, HI) with a helicopter squadron Then, during his college tenure at NSC, he worked at his parents' family business--the Nakatosh Coffee Company--in town. He earned a Master’s degree in Education & Administration and subsequently was a Natchitoches Parish Deputy Sheriff and a high school teacher for Sabine Parish, LA. He posed as a Shrine clown and had a stint with the Texas-Pacific RR. Following, he took a job teaching at the Girls' Training Center in Caliente, NV. He moved on to become an Adult Parole and Probation officer in NV where he worked for six years before venturing to Alaska and accepting a similar position in Anchorage. (He also was a mud hopper on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. He then worked in a supervisory capacity in various communities in Alaska (i.e. Barrow--as liaison transporting prisoners throughout the state and to the Lower 48. He served as assistant to the President of the Alaska Senate, Don Bennett, until his untimely demise. Later he returned to Reno, NV to work and earn a degree in criminal justice. Afterward, he was employed by the U.S. Marshall's Service as Court Security Officer for thirteen years at the Federal courthouse in Fairbanks. There he met Merry Maid Vickie Jucknath who became his bride in Sept. 1998 and chose to follow him and share his home and life for the next nearly twenty years...the last eleven being in the city of Natchitoches with their beloved pooch Yanni; then their cockatiel DQ. Curtis was Commander of the Alaska State Defense Force as well as President of Alaska Territorial Guard for a period of time, and, during that time he and Vickie took their honeymoon in conjunction with duties in Puerto Rico just after Hurricane George struck. (Bricks are placed in his honor at the Marine Heritage Museum at Quantico, VA and at the Veterans Memorial at Natchitoches, LA) Curtis was an avid military history enthusiast, an avid fan of classic western films, and a collector of Civil War memorabilia and, well...all sorts of 'junk'. During his time on earth, he was, in his own words, full of vim, vigor, and vitality who were constantly 'booming along at high port'. Spreading cheer seemed to be his 'calling'. He was an unconditionally generous soul with bright eyes, 'infectious' smile, and high aptitude. Stories of his escapades will be told and retold to the delight of many. He will be intensely mourned but his presence will be sensed forever. The family offers sincere gratitude for the multitude of sustaining prayers to during Curtis's failing health, including those of the various nurses at NRMC, and elsewhere who boldly prayed over Curtis, and are ever so thankful for the WKP staff--hospitalist (Manapragada); cardiologist (Shah); and infectious disease specialist (Brunet) for their compassion and respect for the patient's right to choices in healthcare and insistence upon dignity. Public visitation will begin on Saturday, Aug. 11th, at 12:30 p.m. with memorial service--officiated by Rev. James Thomassee of Pineville, LA-- following at 2:00 p.m. at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home at 848 Keyser Ave., Natchitoches, LA.  Family welcome friends to bring items of significant memories to display during the visitation.