Curtis Storey

The sawdust has settled for the Duke of Dust. Curtis Dean Storey went home to the Lord on July 30, 2020, surrounded by the love of his family. Dean was born on March 23, 1954, in Uvalde, Texas, to Arnold and Julia Storey. Dean spent his childhood in Big Lake, Texas, and as a young man he played football and excelled in the industrial arts woodworking program in high school, where he won prizes for his work. \r\n\r\nOnce out of high school, Dean worked full time in a meat market where he learned meat cutting from what he described as an "old school" butcher. Like most young men in a town known for its oil, he worked for a time on a drilling rig. Upon meeting his future wife in Susan Hall, he traded the 7-day-work-week life to spend more time with her. \r\n\r\nDean and Susan wed in December 1977 and soon moved to Harper, where Dean owned a processing plant until 1983. At that time, he decided to pursue his true calling in woodworking. He never looked back. In 1985 they moved to Hall Ranch and set up on what would become known as Red Hill. Dean was the owner of Red Hill Furniture Company for most of his adult life. With a dedication to the artistry of woodworking, Dean filled homes across the country with pieces that will last for generations to come, proving it was worth waiting slightly past the deadline to get it. His work has been showcased in magazines, at national shows, and in art galleries and earned him several woodworking and craftsmanship awards through the years. His long hours in the shop earned him the loving title "Duke of Dust." \r\n\r\nDean was a man of his word and loved his family with a veracity too few in this world know. A dedicated and loving husband and father, both of his sons recall how meaningful it was to have a father who showed up, always and in every way. As a married couple, he and Susan were an example for their children. After more than 42 years of marriage, they could frequently be caught holding hands, sneaking a kiss, and laughing together. He continued to put family first with his grandchildren, who filled him with a youthful joy that infected everyone around him. Dean had a sense of humor that few could deny and was kind and generous to all he met. \r\n\r\nDean was a member of the Mountain Home Volunteer Fire Department and the Texas Mesquite Association, as well as co-organizer of the Texas Furniture Makers Show, and he was always happy to share his knowledge with other woodworkers. \r\n\r\nDean is survived by his wife, Susan (Hall); son Curt Storey and daughter-in-law Julie (Heinze) along with their children, Ellie and Hudson; son Chris Storey and daughter-in-law Katie (Killeen) along with their children, Cason and Rylan; his brothers and sister; nieces and nephews; and grand-nieces and -nephews.\r\n\r\nA viewing will be hosted at Grimes Funeral Chapels from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 6, 2020. He will be laid to rest in a private ceremony. Condolences can be left for the family at GrimesFuneralChapels.com; click "Leave Condolences."\r\n