Roswell M. (Ros) Curtis, Jr. of Greenwich, CT passed away peacefully on September 6th. The son of Roswell M. Curtis, Sr. and Vera R. Curtis, he was born in Lennox, MA on March 6, 1924 and moved with his parents to Greenwich in 1934.
He attended Greenwich High School and graduated from The Brunswick School in 1941. Shortly after matriculating to Yale University, where he received a degree in Industrial Engineering, he left college to enlist in the US Army Air Corps.
During World War II, Ros served with the 529th Fighter Squadron, known as the Flying Tigers. Flying P-40 and P-51 Mustang fighters, his squadron took part in the China–Burma–India theater. They operated from bases such as Tingkawk Sakan in Burma and later from Pungchacheng and detachments near Hsian in China. Missions included bomber escort, ground-attack operations, and interdiction raids that disrupted Japanese supply lines and protected B-29 Superfortress operations. The 529th’s contributions were vital in weakening Japanese control in central China and supporting Allied efforts in Asia.
After recuperating from tuberculosis contracted in China, he re-enrolled in Yale and graduated as a member of the Class of 1945W. Ros worked for the American Felt & Filter Company in Glenville for 42 years. He remained with the company for his entire professional career, from 1946 until the Glenville mill closed in 1978. He continued consulting for felt and filter manufacturing companies into the 1980s.
On February 7, 1953, Ros married Angela Mongillo in New Haven, Connecticut. Ros was devoted to Angela for 67 years until her passing in 2020.
He had a long history of community service in the Town of Greenwich. Mr. Curtis served for 18 years as a member of the Representative Town Meeting. He was involved with the Boy Scouts of America for over 35 years as Troop Master and Unit Commissioner. For many years, he was involved with the Greenwich Jaycees supporting the local high school students involved in the Junior Achievement program, the Salvation Army, and the AARP/IRS program which offers tax preparation help and advice to seniors.
Mr. Curtis served as member of the board of directors of the Mews of Greenwich which provides affordable housing and community support for seniors, for thirty years and served as president of the board for twenty of those years. His service to the Mews was recognized in 2015 when the “Red House” building was re-named in his honor.
In 2007, he was named the Greenwich Times Community Leader of the Year in recognition of his outstanding service to the Greenwich community.
He entered the Junior Sailing program at Indian Harbor Yacht Club at age 10 and developed a love of sailing and the water. He joined the Club in 1948, actively raced in several of the Club’s one-design fleets and enjoyed crewing for his friends on distance races. Mr. Curtis served as a Director of the Club for many years, chairing the Junior Sailing, Marine and Regatta Committees and as a Flag Officer before becoming Commodore in 1986.
Mr. Curtis was predeceased by his wife Angela, and a sister, Vera Curtis Nagle. He is survived by his sons, Ros III (Chantal), of Gulf Stream, FL; Mark (Laurie) and Paul (Donna) of Greenwich, CT; and 5 grandchildren.
Services and burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to The Mews of Greenwich.