Dade Louise Warfield Tull Curtis

Dade Louise Warfield Tull Curtis, 78, of Dunlap, passed away at 2:36 PM on Tuesday, January 29, 2013 at Methodist Medical Center in Peoria. Dade was born on July 9, 1934 in Honolulu, HI to the late Col. Lloyd H. and Ellen Warfield Tull. She married Brian Albert Curtis on April 9, 1960 in Clemson, SC. He recently passed away on October 4, 2010. Surviving are one son, Elliot (and his wife, Christina) Curtis of East Peoria, two grandchildren, Brendan W. and Savanna J. Curtis of East Peoria, a sister, Nan Tull (and her husband, Frank) Wezniak of Boston, MA, two nephews and one niece, Douglas (his wife,Sharon, and two children) Wezniak of Colleyville, TX, Patricia (and her husband, Greg) Webster of Plymouth, MA and Clark ( and his wife, Lisa, and one child) Aldrich of Madison, CT. Dade’s early life was typical of an Air Force daughter, with many homes including Honolulu, HI, Stockton, CA, Washington, D.C., and finally Clemson, SC, where her father Air Force Colonel Lloyd H Tull finished his career as Commandant of Clemson University. She attended Vassar College (BA,1955, Zoology) in Poughkeepsie, NY on a full academic scholarship, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and was named an Honorary Vassar College Fellow in Zoology at graduation. In addition, she won a fellowship to the Woods Hole Marine Biological Labs in Woods Hole, MA. After Woods Hole, she went on to receive Master’s Degrees from both Wesleyan University in CT (MS, Biology) and Illinois State University (MS,Library Science). Dade worked as a researcher at Cornell Medical School in New York and then briefly attended Columbia University Medical School before meeting and marrying the love of her life, Dr. Brian A. Curtis in the spring of 1960. They embarked on a camping tour of Europe together before Brian settled into a fellowship position at Cambridge University in Cambridge, UK. She often talked about her time in Europe and England, remembering it as one of the most exhilarating times in her life. She and Brian were fortunate to return to England after many years, and also enjoyed traveling together to France, Ireland, Australia, and Hawaii. Dade was an instructor of biology at Northeastern University and studied library science at Simmons College in Boston as well as at Illinois Central College. She also worked in library science at Illinois State University. She was an avid gardener, reader and after retiring, devoted her energy to the study of finance and investing. She was a brilliant woman who could match anyone in debating skills, and was a very disciplined learner who devoted much of her time to studying and reading about current events. Dade will be remembered not only for her quick wit, but also her philanthropy, as she gave generously to local and national organizations. Honoring Dade’s wishes, cremation rites have been accorded and private services will take place at a later date. Dade had requested that she be returned to her previous home in Hingham, MA. She will also join her husband Brian at their former vacation home in Madison, NH. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Deiters Funeral Home & Crematory in Washington.

Dade Louise Warfield Tull Curtis

July 9, 1934 - January 29, 2013