Ronald Glen Olaf Curtiss, avid bowler, outdoorsman, pontoon boat “Capitan,” and accomplished fire boss, passed away peacefully on the morning of Friday, Sept. 26, 2014, in Libby, at the age of 73.

He was born in Colville, Wash., to George and Bessie (Kyllo) Curtiss on May 27, 1941, the second of three boys. He grew up in Washington and Oregon, and was very active in football, baseball, basketball and track throughout his youth. After graduating from Kettle Falls High School in 1960, he went to work as a firefighter for the Forest Service during the summer months and attended college for two years at Eastern Washington College in Cheney, Wash.

In his second season with the Forest Service, Ron entered the smoke jumper program and began the first of 98 total fire jumps in most of the western United States and Alaska over a span of 11 years. Ron worked in fire and fuels during his entire Forest Service career. In 1984, he became incident commander on one of the 18 Type I National Fire teams. He served in this capacity through 1988, managing fires up to 250,000 acres and fire camps of over 5,000 people plus military personnel. He was fire management officer for the Fisher River District from 1972 until he retired in 1994.

Ron married Norma Rhett in Grangeville, Idaho, on Dec. 6, 1961, and fathered two children, Sandra Lee, born in 1966 in Missoula, and Mary June, born in 1968, also in Missoula. They moved to Libby in 1972. Ron and Norma divorced in 1986.

He married Sharon Adkins on June 4, 1988, in Libby and with that marriage came a daughter, Stacie Kay Adkins.

Ron loved to bowl and was president of the Libby-Troy Bowling Association for many years. He was a director for six years and second vice president for three years of the Montana State Bowling Association. He also supported the Libby youth bowling program which held an annual bowling tournament.

Throughout his life, Ron was an outdoors enthusiast, devoted hunter and fisherman, golfer and member of the Ski Patrol in Missoula and Libby. He was vice president of the Bull Lake Rod and Gun Club and remodeled the clubhouse after the asbestos cleanup. He also was a member of the Libby Trap Club.

Ron was one of those top-notch people that you knew as soon as you met him that he was all action and little talk — a “go to” guy when the chips were down. His last years were spent at the Bull Lake lot, making it a wonderful and memorable place for family and friends to visit and ride with the “Capitan” on the boat. Throughout his years, he touched many lives and will be greatly missed.

He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Bessie Curtiss.

He is survived by his wife, Sharon, of Libby; daughters, Sandra Watts and Mike of Albuquerque, N.M., Mary Kruse and Bob of Kalispell, and Stacie Burns and Jason of Helena; and brothers, Kelly Curtiss and Johnee of Metaline, Wash., and Mike Curtiss and Judy of Colville, Wash.; also grandchildren, JR Rebo of Libby, Teri Berschneider and George of Kailua, Hawaii, Elizabeth and Odin Kruse of Kalispell, Kijrstjn Kruse of Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, and Kenyon and Kyle Burns of Helena.

Services will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 1, at the Libby Christian Church, 100 Kootenai River Road, Libby. Visitation will be 1 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30, at Schnackenberg & Nelson Funeral Home in Libby.

Arrangements are under the care of Schnackenberg & Nelson Funeral Home in Libby. Online condolences and memories may be shared by visiting www.schnackenbergfh.com.