Thomas Alfred Curtis of Hampton Bays died on January 27, 2018, at the Kanas Center for Hospice Care on Quiogue. He was 95.
A World War II veteran, Mr. Curtis served in the U.S. Coast Guard. Trained as a radio operator—using Morse Code for radio communication on airplanes and ship-to-shore transmission—he was a flight radio operator for TWA Airlines from 1948 to 1952 and 1954 to 1957, a ship-to-shore radio operator at WLC in Rogers City, Michigan, from 1958 to 1962, and a ship-to-shore radio operator at WSL (Mackay Radio) in Southampton from 1962 to 1983. Survivors said he was a talented jazz pianist and played piano with numerous local jazz musicians and at a variety of local bars, restaurants, and clubs.
Mr. Curtis is survived by his wife, Rosalie Curtis; five children, Linda Maines, Karen Curtis, Thomas Curtis, Gary Curtis and Gregg Curtis; three step-children, George Hoffman, Karen Hoffman and Carol Noon; 11 grandchildren, Josh Curtis, Travis Curtis, Evan Curtis, Hayley Bloom, Ty Curtis, Abigail Curtis, Conor Curtis, Joseph Camarota III, William Camarota, James Camarota and Stephen Camarota; four step-grandchildren, Amanda Hoffman, Corey Hoffman, Abigail Hoffman and Emily Noon; three great-grandchildren, James Camarota Jr., Joseph Camarota IV and Nicholas Camarota; and two step-great-grandchildren, Aidan Ervin and Christopher Ervin.
Funeral arrangements were under the direction of the Scott-Rothwell Funeral Home in Hampton Bays. Burial was at Calverton National Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the American Legion, 55 Ponquogue Avenue, Hampton Bays, NY 11946.