Curtis Wade Jenkins, age 85, of Hanover, Massachusetts passed away peacefully on November 21, 2014 at Life Care Center in Scituate. He was the son of the late Curtis B. and Helen G. Jenkins and was known by his middle name, Wade.

Wade was born in 1929 in Linton, North Dakota, and was raised on his parent's farm. He graduated from Linton High School in 1947 with honors. He then attended Jamestown College, Jamestown, North Dakota, (now the University of Jamestown) and graduated with honors in 1951. He then taught high school in Buxton, North Dakota for two years.

While employed in Buxton he traveled to Grand Forks, North Dakota to hunt for antiques, pursuing one of his passions and, while there, met a man by the name of Archambault, blind at birth. This association led him to a teaching position at the School for the Blind in Morristown, NJ for several years. Among his duties was the training of seeing-eye dogs.

Wade then moved to Hanover, Mass. and became a business partner in an antique store.
After a brief period, he resumed teaching in Hanover, and met a music teacher in the school system, Rita (Breault) Paul, a widow with two children. They shared a love of classical music and she would become his wife. They put on many musicals during the Christmas season which became local favorites and were the subject of radio and televised events.

After their marriage in 1963, Wade and Rita made several real estate acquisitions, including a laundromat, convenience store, and residential rental properties. In addition to teaching music, Rita served as the organist and choir director at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Hanover.

After Rita's death in 1993, Wade became involved in various community activities, and took on personal projects such as buying old bicycles, rehabbing them, and giving them to children who did not have the means to purchase one. He became a member of Church Hill United Methodist Church in nearby Norwell.

Wade was an accomplished musician who played the piano, organ, and violin. In addition, he spoke two foreign languages and was renowned for his portrait paintings.  His skill at repairing antique clocks, music boxes, player pianos, and choralcelos, made him well known in the area and provided a source of extra income. He also rebuilt and sold three pipe organs. At one time he purchased an old circus carousel, refurbished it, and sold it to Disney World.

Wade was a consummate gentleman. He had a mild demeanor and a soft but strong voice, and a refreshing wonderment about things around him. He was always a top choice as narrator for concerts by the church choir, or as a liturgist on special occasions. He had perfect diction and always read with great feeling. He recorded many books for the visually impaired for audio transmission over the Talking Information Center (TIC) Network of Marshfield, MA.
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During the period of failing health, he was supported by several close friends and by members of his church family who provided transportation to medical treatments, meals, and companionship. He had been an active member of Church Hill United Methodist Church in Norwell for the past 20 years.

Wade was preceded in death by his parents and by his wife. He leaves a brother and his wife, Kay and Sadie Jenkins of Granger, Indiana; a nephew, Jim Jenkins and his wife Dawn, and their daughters Abigail and Grace, of Sterling Heights, Michigan; and two nieces, Melissa of Denver, Colorado, and Kimberly of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Wade is also survived by Rita's family, son Robert Paul of Cranford, New Jersey and daughter Natalie (Paul) Nugent of Richmond, Virginia and their extended families. Wade maintained close relationships with his step-granddaughter Denise Casey of New York City, who visited him during Easter of 2014, and his former sister-in-law Arloween (Guthmiller) Jenkins of Renton, Washington.

He was a kind-hearted and thoughtful person who followed the Christian path laid out for him many years ago by his mother. "Heaven's gain is earth's loss... he fought the good fight, ran the race, and kept the faith. The circle of life is now complete".

Wade's remains will be interred in the Linton Cemetery, alongside his parents. The Cemetery is part of the land the family once owned and sold to the City of Linton. As described in his instructions, the gravesite is on the side of a gently sloping hill, overlooking the farm where he grew up – "a peaceful spot out on the prairie and buttes and held dear in his heart".

A Memorial Service will be held at Church Hill United Methodist Church, 630 River Street in Norwell, MA on Sunday, January 18, 2015 at 2:00 PM, followed by a time of remembrance, fellowship, and refreshment in the Fellowship Center. There are no visiting hours. In lieu of flowers, donations may be given in Wade's memory to the Memorial Fund of Church Hill United Methodist Church, or to a charity of your choice.

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