On the afternoon of April 27th, a shining heart soared to heaven and shares her dances with the angels.
She left life surrounded and bathed in the love of her children. Some were physically present or technologically present. Truly all were present in the pure love of their beautiful mother.
Elizabeth Jeanette Curtis (Strobel) was born in York, Nebraska to parents Carl and Anna on September 27, 1940. She was the second born of four children. She shared her childhood with older sister Shirley (Jenkins), younger sister Mary (Rodriguez) and her only brother James. Her sisters and brother remained vitally important to her and her heart was broken with the tragic, too soon loss of her youngest sibling, Jim.
At the core of Elizabeth was her Catholic faith. She was a member of St. Agnes Catholic Church in Scottsbluff NE. This faith served as her strength and her guidance her whole life. She lived her life as one of the truest examples of Christ. She shared kindness and acceptance with everyone she met. She shared those gifts freely and without judgment as they were bestowed.
Mom, Granny, Aunt Liz and Lizzie were the titles that she carried happiest of all.
As Mom, she gifted the world with her 5 best creations. Tim/Timothy (Betty), Theresa (Larry) Holbert, Pat/Patrick (David), Angie/Angela and Chris/Christopher (Andrea). She would tell you without hesitation that her children were her life. To know her children is to know their mom. They are the embodiment of her kind and caring spirit and they will continue to live and shine her loving heart.
She loved singing and dancing, there was always music on and she loved grabbing her children and having them dance in the kitchen with her!
As Grandma/Granny she celebrated her love of Jeffery, Michael and Sarah and her step grandchildren Shane, Nicole, and Morgan. She delighted in her great grandchildren Cooper, Breleigh and Emma.
She was Aunt Liz to many nieces and Nephews and there was no loss of mutual love and admiration between them all.
There is no real way to calculate the number of friends, acquaintances, and individuals whose lives and hearts she touched as Liz/Lizzie. Her loving reach was constant and bright.
She knew and loved everyone in her apartment building and loved and cared for them like they were her family.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Jim, her parents, her brother and tragically her grandson Mike.
If you are reading this and knew her or were touched by this shining star, please celebrate her with a dance or a happy memory and keep her spirit on this earth alive.
Memorials may be given to St. Agnes Catholic Church in Scottsbluff or a charity of the donor’s choice.
Funeral services will be Tuesday, May 4, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Alliance. Father Gerald Harr and Father Tim Stoner will officiate. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery. A Rosary service will be Monday at 7:00 p.m. at Holy Rosary Church. Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Bates-Gould Funeral Home and at the Rosary service.
Online condolences may be left at www.batesgould.com.