Curtis Lester McCune Jr.

STONEWALL, LA - After a sudden and brief illness, Curtis Lester McCune, Jr. entered his heavenly home on June 28, 2017 at the age of 87. Services will be at 12:00 noon on Saturday, July 1, 2017 at Salem Baptist Church in Stonewall. Officiating will be Dr. Mike Hawkins. Burial will follow at the Stonewall Cemetery. Visitation will be held prior to the service from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon at the church. Curtis was born June 9, 1930, in Laneville, Texas, the first child of Curtis, Sr. and Illa McCune. His family moved to Stonewall in 1941. He graduated from Stonewall High School and then attended Louisiana College, earning a degree in Chemistry in 1952. During his time at Pineville, he met a beautiful woman, Nancy Montpelier, and fell in love. They got married in 1952. Following the wedding, they moved to New Orleans where he did graduate work at Tulane University. During that time, he entered the Army and served as a medic, stationed for a period in Puerto Rico. After serving two years in the Army, he returned to New Orleans and then returned home to Stonewall. He began work at Thiokol in Karnack, Texas, where he worked for 35 years before he retired. During his time at Thiokol he served as chief chemist and then director of quality assurance. In 1972, he, along with several other men, successfully incorporated Stonewall, at that time a village. In 1974 he became the first elected mayor, and held that position for the next 36 years, until he "retired" in 2010. He then served four more years on the town council. He devoted an immeasurable amount of time, love, and energy to the town of Stonewall, helping it grow to what it is today. During his many years of public service, Curtis served on numerous boards and committees and he was a member of many civic organizations. Curtis was a devoted Christian man. He loved his church, Salem Baptist, where he served tirelessly. He was a Sunday School teacher for many years. He also served as a deacon and church treasurer for many years. While he has a lifetime of accomplishments, his greatest accomplishment was his family, all of whom survive him. He was happily married to his loving and devoted wife, Nancy, for 64 years. She was always by his side, supporting him in all of his endeavors. He was the father of four children, Sharon Gasper and husband Donald, Jimmy McCune and wife Holly, Molly Copeland and husband John, and Patricia Stentz and husband Bruce. He had eleven grandchildren, Nicholas Gasper and wife Nicole, Heather Rhodes and husband Phillip, Rachel Carpenter and husband Jason, Dustin Harrison and wife Jessie, Nathan McCune and wife Shanna, Hannah Robinson and husband Daniel, Cody Copeland and wife Sarah, Danyelle Copeland, Logan Dickerson and wife Ali, Rachel Stentz and Samuel Stentz. He also had 12 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister, Nan Baker, brother, Bill McCune, sister-in-law, Cecilia Ketchum and husband Willie and brother-in-law Charles Montpelier and wife Bonnie, and numerous nieces and nephews. Also left to cherish his memory are the innumerable friends whose lives were forever changed because they knew him. Honoring him as pallbearers are Nicholas Gasper, Dustin Harrison, Nathan McCune, Cody Copeland, Logan Dickerson, and Samuel Stentz. Honorary pallbearers are Phillip Rhodes, Jason Carpenter, and Daniel Robinson. The family would like to thank Dr. Tommy Brown and all of the wonderfull doctors, nurses and staff at University Health. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations may be made to the Salem Baptist Church building fund.