Dr. Curtis Paul Ramsey, 95, of Denton, Texas, passed away on April 9, 2022 after enduring "old and tired" for as long as he could. He always insisted he was "in pretty good shape, considering the shape [he] was in," and this remained true until the end.

He was proud to have been born at home on Welch Street in Denton, Texas on November 24, 1926 to Ulas James and Mary Annie Ramsey.  As a child, he was a member of Boy Scout Troop 65, eventually achieving the rank of Eagle Scout and in 2018 attended the Troop's 100 ^th anniversary celebration, pointing out the boards he nailed when the huts were built.  For almost 60 years he was an active member of First United Methodist Church, regularly teaching adult Sunday School and serving as a Youth Counsellor.

A life-long advocate for public education, Dr. Ramsey was a product of Denton's public schools, attending Sam Houston Elementary, Denton Junior and Senior High Schools, and North Texas State College (now UNT), where he was elected president of the 1950 Senior Class.  He earned a dual Bachelor's Degree in Biology and Psychology and a Master's Degree in Curriculum and Guidance from NTSC.  At George Peabody College for Teachers in Nashville, he earned his Ph.D. in Education.

During World War II he served in Japan as a company clerk and brought home a deep respect and admiration for Japanese art, people, and culture.

While at Peabody College, Dr. Ramsey conducted paradigm-shifting research on educational data.  His was the first compilation of educational data with the goal of improving educational outcomes.  Participants in the study included the public-school districts of Shreveport, Atlanta, Louisville, Nashville, and St. Louis.

After 1954's Brown v. the Board of Education, a Peabody College grant enabled Dr. Ramsey to travel to Georgia and assist school districts experiencing difficulties in de-segregation.  Dr. Ramsey continued this advocacy in the Cleveland area schools while serving as Chairman of the Elementary Education Department at Kent State University and in the Bridgeport and Stamford schools while serving as Dean of the College of Education at the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut.

Dr. Ramsey taught overseas at Bir Zeit University as a Distinguished Visiting Professor in Education and Psychology before returning to Denton for the remainder of his life.

He taught at Texas Woman's University for many years, but the highlight of his Denton educational advocacy was his service on the Denton ISD School Board.  Such was his pride in Denton public education that when asked how many children he had in school, he would reply with the number of children enrolled in Denton public schools.  During his eighteen years on the School Board, he served with Leadership TASB (Texas Association of School Boards) and many years with the Texas Legislative Taskforce lobbying in D.C. on behalf of public-school education.

Dr. Ramsey was preceded in death by many loved ones including Mattie Sue Brabham, Marjorie Leppa Jarvi, and five weeks ago, wife Virginia Mary Ramsey.

Dr. Ramsey is survived by his four daughters and their loved ones:  Rebecca Ramsey Lindrose and Walter Lindrose, Cynthia Ramsey Despot and John Hayes, Dawn Ramsey, Victoria Ramsey and John Hutchinson, four grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at First United Methodist Church of Denton on July 11, 2022, 11am with a reception following.  Curtis and Virginia will be interred at the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery.

Donations in Curtis's memory can be made to:

Denton Public Schools Foundation,

First United Methodist Church of Denton,

or Boy Scouts of America Troop 65.