Curtis Walth

The angels took our dear Curtis to be with his savior September 6, 2024 after a short time on hospice for several heart and kidney related issues.

The celebration of life for Curtis will be in Hebron, North Dakota at 11:00 at St. John Church, Friday, September 13, 2024. There will be no visitation or burial as cremation has taken place per Curtis’s wishes. To view the service, click this link https://youtube.com/live/GFNHnb2CH5w?feature=shared 

Curtis was born on October 7, 1961, in Richardton, ND to Alvin and Jeannine (Hintz) Walth. He grew up in Hebron and Dickinson moving with his family, wherever his parents work took them. Curtis was born with a wrench in one hand and a steering wheel in the other. He bought his first pickup at age 12. Along with his brother and cousin Grant they got into several sticky situations as teenagers. As he would say, “Nothing that we couldn’t get ourselves out of.” He would love to tell those stories as an adult, around the campfires or at family or friends' gatherings.

He attended Hebron elementary and high school. School was difficult and challenging, so he left high school to work at the Brickyard in Hebron. However, years later, he felt he wanted to complete high school and obtained his GED at age 32.

When he met the love of his life, Leisha Kinnnischtzke and college took her to Dickinson, he followed her there as any wise boyfriend would do. He worked at the Cenex station there. They were engaged that winter, bought a mobile home and were married the next spring on June 18, 1982. They moved to Bismarck that summer for Leisha to complete her nurses training. It just so happened that Leisha’s parents had an electrician from Bismarck who had a campground and mobile home park that they were able to move into which they live in to this day.

 After Curtis’s spinal cord injury in 2007 they decided not to buy or build a larger home, but Hillcrest Acres is a wonderful place on a hill in the country. Curtis built a screened in porch that has a great view where he spent many a day watching the birds, the neighbors “watch cats” and scolding and hunting the squirrels who seemed to enjoy chewing wires on their vehicles.

Curtis had a knack and an eye for creating, modifying or fabricating nearly anything that he set his mind to. He worked at it until it met his expectations. His most recent creation was putting a hitch on the back of his scooter to pull the lawnmower so he could help with yardwork as much as possible. He loved being busy tinkering on things which started as a young boy learning from his dad and experimenting on his own, figuring out how things work by taking them apart and putting them back together.

His love for big equipment started when his father had a construction business and allowed him to drive a Caterpillar as a six year old. This led him to his career as a truck driver. Curtis went on to drive 10,000 miles short of 4 million for his dad, Roger Kirschman, Coca-Cola, and finally at Knife River Corporation. He loved to point out and talk about all the big projects that he was a part of around the Bismarck community. He also worked at Bobcat and Napa in Bismarck.

After his spinal cord injury, he promised God he would do whatever he asked of him if he would let him walk again. After five months of therapy with his stubborn and determined personality along with his German heritage, he managed to go back to work for 10 more years, retiring seven years ago. He continued to talk about his love of truck driving and truly missed doing so to his dying day. 

Curtis’ passion for mechanics and vehicles was evident in the two pickups that he restored. One with the help of his father and the second with his wife, with a little help from his good friend Perry for those things that he was not able to do. His goal was to provide a pickup for each of his nephews for them to remember him by. He wanted to see the boys enjoy their pickups, so he insisted on gifting the trucks to them while he alive, which made him beam with joy.

There are so many people that have been instrumental in Curtis‘s life, including family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. Leisha would like to thank them all for being there, especially after he retired. All the phone calls, visits, lunches or to take a drive to fill his days and lonely nights when Leisha was at work or sleeping will never be forgotten. A special thank you to the following; Kevin and Justin who always dropped whatever they were doing to help him with the house or any project that needed to be done; to John and Renee, for giving him so much joy and peace in his shop at the storage unit that he created; our neighbor Heather, for being there to lend a hand or a listening ear at any time; Leisha’s manager, Jen and work family, for their love and support and allowing her to be there for him during Curtis’s hospitalizations, illnesses, and final days that allowed her to grant his final wish of spending his last days at home and finally Hospice, who was there for him and Leisha in his last days, for their loving care bringing whatever he needed for his comfort. Much love and gratitude to Freda and Twyla, Leisha’s mom and sister, for being her rock, best friends and helpers throughout Curtis’s many health struggles, family is everything. 

Those that have gone on before him are his parents; paternal grandparents, John and Lydia Walth; maternal grandparents, Edwin and Elvira Hintz; uncles, Clarence Walth and Keith Kraenzel and brother-in-law Lonnie Kinnischtzke. 

Those left to mourn his passing are his wife of 42 years Leisha; brother, Corey (Jane) Walth; sister, Darla Messmer; nephews, Shannon (Jaylee) Messmer and Shawn (Julie Lindquist) Messmer; father-in-law, Earl Kinnischtzke; mother-in-law, Freda Anderson; sister-in-law, Twyla (Eddy) Barth; niece, Klarisa (Kent) Glasser and their children, Ari and Alia; Shalayna (Matt) Phelps and their children, Eliza, Vivian, and soon to be number three; brother-in-law Kelly (Missy) Messmer, and several aunts, one uncle, and many cousins, friends, and neighbors.

Curtis was in his glory when he was at the lake or on a road trip, so take an adventure with your family and/or friends and make new memories in honor of him.

 No goodbyes, just see you later babe, I know you are there waiting for me and your family.  As Grant said, “Fly High Monster.” -Leisha