Cover photo for Anthony Ray Curtis's Obituary
Anthony Ray Curtis Profile Photo
1940 Anthony 2015

Anthony Ray Curtis

October 31, 1940 — January 23, 2015

Anthony Ray Curtis, 74, died January 23, 2015 of cancer at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital after a short illness. At the time of his death he was Professor of Mass Communication at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke where he had taught since 2002.

He was born October 31, 1940 in Marietta, Ohio, and was the son of the late Edwin and Charlotte Curtis. He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Judith Genevicz Curtis, who is an Associate Professor of Mass Communication at UNC-Pembroke.

Curtis earned his bachelor's degree in journalism and master's degree in political science from Pennsylvania State University. He earned his Ph.D. in Mass Communication from the Union Institute and University in Cincinnati. Ohio.

A long time educator, he had been teaching in higher education since 1967, including previously at Penn State University, Ohio University, Salisbury University, The Union Institute and University, and Hood College. At UNC-Pembroke he received an Outstanding Teaching Award in 2012 and the Most Valuable Professor awards in 2012 and 2013. He had served in recent years as the Chair of the Faculty Senate and as President of the Friends of the Library Board. At Salisbury University, he received the Outstanding Academic Advisor Award and was nominated for the Distinguished Faculty Award. At Hood College he was nominated for the Excellence in Teaching Award.

A practicing journalist, during his career he was a special assignment reporter for "The Herald" newspaper in Sharon, PA, a correspondent for "The National Observer" for Dow Jones, Inc., the electronics and photography editor for Popular Mechanics magazine in New York City, the founding editor of "Modern Electronics" magazine in New York City, and a columnist for "Chesapeake Bay Magazine," "Modern Railroader Magazine," and "ARRLWeb," the online publication of the American Radio Relay League. He received the C. B. Lartz Award for Outstanding Newswriting at the "Sharon Herald" and the Outstanding Program Award and television production at Ohio University.

He worked in the commercial broadcast industry at radio and television stations in Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. He also worked in the public relations field as press secretary and speechwriter for a former governor of Pennsylvania and as public relations director for the Pennsylvania portion of a national US Presidential campaign.

After serving as Vice President of Tab Books in Pennsylvania, he founded ARCsoft Publishers, a book publishing company specializing in computer and space science books which produced national bestselling books with global sales. He founded and edited "Space Today Online" and was recognized as a space policy analyst asked regularily by media to analyze events. Recent interviews included BBC World Service, CNN iReport, and the University of Missouri public service radio station.

He was the author of 72 books about computers, communications, space science, and astronomy, including "Space Almanac," chosen Outstanding Academic Book by the American Library Association. He authored 14 articles in the two-volume "Space Exploration and Humanity: a Historical Encyclopedia" published by ABC_CLIO in 2010. Since 200, he had served as a NASA Solar System Ambassador.

He had a national reputation as an innovator in academic information engineering, online education, and global computer-mediated mass communication and was skilled at creating multidimensional learning environments on the Web. As Associate Dean of Academic Information Systems at the Union Institute and University, he designed and maintained the university web site, designed and constructed an online academic research library, and designed online course delivery and course management systems. In recent years, he specialized in new media and virtual learning environments and made numerous academic conference presentations.

A FCC licensed amateur radio operator since 1954, he was active over his lifetime in emergency preparedness public service in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Delaware, the District of Columbia, and North Carolina. He served as Educational Advisor to the American Radio Relay League as an Assistant Director for the Roanoke Division of the League.

A memorial service is 2:00 p.m. Saturday, February 21, 2015, at the McDougald Funeral Home and Crematorium in Laurinburg. Burial will be at Gracelawn Cemetery in Wilmington, Delaware.

Read Anthony Curtis's Obituary and Guestbook on www.mcdougald.com.

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