Susan Nell Curtis

Susan Nell Curtis passed peacefully at age 59, on Thursday, July 6 at Lancaster General Hospital with her Little Snowman by her side, after suffering a stroke.

Born in Burke, Fairfax County, VA, she was the daughter of the late Marshall and Joan Sterner Curtis. Marshall was the first paid fire fighter at Fairfax County, VA and retired as Captain.

They moved to New Holland in 1967 to pursue special schooling. After her parent’s death, she was lovingly cared for at the Friendship Community home in New Holland and also by her guardians Anne and Ernie, Molly and Francis, and Rich and Tess.

A long-time member of St. Stephen Reformed Church in New Holland and their Special Class and Bell Choir, she loved keeping time to church music with her tambourine.

Susan inherited her gift of art from her grandfather and her love of music from her grandmother. Growing up she would play “The Entertainer” by Scott Joplin endlessly and as an adult loved the soundtrack to “Annie”.

Her grandfather was Director of the Art Department at the CIA and her parents received a handwritten note from the President of the United States congratulating them on Susan’s birth.

Known for her art, her heart painting brought the highest bid at the HeArt of Friendship Benefit Art Auction in 2012.

Her favorite things were butterflies, going to Red Lobster for shrimp pasta and cheese biscuits, coloring, playing Skip Bo, and spending time with her loving housemates and team members. She also enjoyed working at Ephrata Area Rehabilitation Services and attending Friendship’s Meaningful Day Academy and The HeArt Studio.

We cannot thank Friendship Community enough for their ongoing care, kindness, compassion, diligence and excellence in giving Susan such a loving home for the past 12 years and for treating her and all their residents like family. We were so blessed by the love and vigilance shown to Susan in the hospital by so many members of Friendship Community staff.

We’d like to extend a special thank you for the incredible care and empathy shown to Susan by the entire 5th floor Trauma Neuro Unit 5LL staff at LGH.

Susan is survived by aunts, uncles and cousins in other states.

Her funeral will be held on Tuesday, July 11, 2023, at 1 p.m. at St. Stephen Reformed Church, 249 E. Main St., New Holland with Milt Stoltzfus officiating. A viewing will be held Tuesday from 12 Noon until 1 p.m. at the church.

In lieu of flowers, all donations should go to Friendship Community at 1149 East Oregon Road, Lititz, PA 17543, so they can continue to make a difference in the lives of other residents.

The Beck Funeral Home, New Holland, is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be posted at www.beckfuneral.com.