Kalee Mae Curtis
February 26, 1996 – January 14, 2025

Kalee Mae Curtis was born on February 26, 1996, in Tremonton, UT and passed at the tender age of 28 on January 14, 2025, at her childhood home in Holbrook, ID after a several months-long battle with Dementia; a condition not uncommon for women with Down Syndrome at her age.

Our Kalee was the most unconditionally loving daughter, sister, aunt, friend and acquaintance to all who knew her. Her gentle spirit was one that provided comfort and solace to everyone around her. Quick to smile and immediate to express love, Kalee truly was one without any guile. Kalee had an honorary Master’s degree in loving, forgiveness & joy–she was quite simply exquisite at it.

Her bright, cheery demeanor was contagious, and she was always up for a party. Amongst her favorite holidays to celebrate were Halloween and her birthday. She passed just six weeks shy of her highly anticipated 29th birthday celebration, and we can’t blame her as we know her angels will have an epic party planned for it.

For years, she’s had every date of birthday memorized for each of her parents, siblings, nieces and nephews. She would count down the days for every single one. This was fitting, considering her first coherent words were, “Chocolate cake!” (At least, that’s how we fondly remember it.)

Never one to turn down food, Kalee was, indeed, a food connoisseur. (“I… Wuv… Food!”) She delighted in delectable eats ranging anywhere from healthy to not healthy and everything in between. Her gracious heart would share anything with anyone… except for the food off of her plate; this was pretty much her only boundary, and we absolutely love her for it.

Kalee participated in the Special Olympics as a swimmer. She had a special connection with water, and she jumped at every chance to play in a pool or lake. She would spend hours and hours in the pool, complete with goggles, swim cap & flippers in absolute euphoria with an extra set in hand to share for any who might be without.

One way that Kalee expressed love was through service. She enjoyed cleaning houses and took great pride in it. She did this for her parents, siblings and neighbors. Having this skill gave her a sense of pride and accomplishment and was well-received by anyone lucky enough to have her in their home.

Kalee had an interest in dancing and absolutely loved all things ballet. She was able to take a dance class at a nearby school and made sweet friends in the pursuit of dance. She’s also an artist and you could almost always catch her with some markers and paper everywhere she went. Another one of her favorite ways to spend time was shopping. She was a sucker for a good deal and would continually bring home treasures from a fun-filled afternoon, often pink in color.

Kalee was an excellent student. She loved her time at school and remembered her teachers, aids, and friends quite fondly. She practiced her writing and spelling almost daily, along with her coloring and sketching. She also absolutely loved going to Lagoon. An adrenaline junky, though and through, there wasn’t a ride she wasn’t excited to explore. Her sense of independence was admirable when those with her couldn’t stomach the rush, and she happily would take on the challenge alone.

She was a devoted aunt, spending hours with nieces and nephews in games and laughter. She was a supreme nurturer to all nine of her nieces and nephews and her absence will leave a gap that none of us could possibly fill on our own. She is survived by her mother, Arwella P. (Pierce) Curtis and her father, Cory R. Curtis. In addition to her parents, Kalee is survived by her five siblings, Shane, (Katie Phelps) Jordan, (Jessica Bruin), Brin, (Aaron Novak) Jesse and Elijah as well as nine nieces and nephews and many aunts, uncles and cousins. She was preceded in death by her beloved older brother, Tres Curtis.

She was the ultimate example of a spiritual giant. On countless occasions, we have found her kneeling in prayer, communing quite personally with Christ. We’ve overheard her prayers of pleading, of needing comfort, of expressing love; perhaps the most authentic moments one could ever have the privilege to witness.

We will forever remember her most freely given phrase; “I…Wuv…You!…”, her emphatic and excited greetings with hugs, as well as her inexplicable ability to immediately forgive. To our knowledge, she never once held a grudge. Toward the end of her beautiful life, Kalee’s struggle fell quite sudden. She was blessed with an incredible hospice team who worked quickly and compassionately to meet all needs, of whom she and her family are deeply grateful for. She passed peacefully surrounded by both parents and every one of her siblings in the comfort of her childhood home.

A sweet, private graveside service with immediate family was held in Holbrook, Idaho–a few miles from where her parents still reside. We would love for all to enjoy a slideshow tribute to her life, the link is included on the website under the service tab.