Herman Curtis Sturre, of Thief River Falls, MN, passed away on December 7th, 2021 at Sanford Medical Center in Thief River Falls at the age of 70.

A Visitation in honor of Curtis will be held from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM on Thursday, December 16, 2021 at Johnson Funeral Service in Thief River Falls, MN.

Curtis was born on February 22, 1951 in Thief River Falls, MN to Herman and Doris (Phelps) Sturre, the youngest of nine children - Burnard, Venetta, Marlene, Gerald, Janice, Avis, Enzely, and Kenneth.  Herman and Doris made their home in Goodridge, MN where Curtis grew up and lived most of his life.  He loved being a part of a small community where he knew everyone, surrounded by family and friends.

After finishing high school in Goodridge, he joined the Navy where he became a pipefitter and woodworker.  He enjoyed sharing stories of his time in the service of all the people he met and places he'd seen.  His time in the Navy also sparked his interest in woodworking and he made many pieces of furniture and art throughout his life.  He was awarded the National Defense Service Medal on January 24, 1974 for service during a period of armed conflict.

After leaving the Navy, Curtis returned to his hometown and had a son, Gerald.  He held various jobs and worked hard to provide, and emphasized education and to never stop learning.  A huge 'facts' fan, he was unbeatable at Trivial Pursuit and always had some bit of trivia to contribute to any topic.  It was common to see him sitting in his chair and reading from his set of encyclopedias, or one of the many historical books he owned.

Before retiring, he worked at the Goodridge school as a janitor.  He got to know many new people, and he enjoyed getting to know everyone.  In retirement he spent a lot of time reading everything he could get a hold of, building up a small library worth of books.  He was always on the lookout for a new author or interesting series to start.

He is survived by his son Gerald, daughter-in-law Melanie, granddaughter Paige, and a large group of friends and family.