Harold James Curtin was born to Robert and Geraldine Curtin at St. Mary’s Hospital in Long Beach on January 4, 1956, and grew up in Huntington Beach. He had an older brother, Robert, and younger sister, Patricia. He attended Village View Elementary School from kindergarten through 8th grade. He attended Marina High where he enjoyed swimming, water polo, and most of all, track and field. Both of his sons would attend these schools as well. While attending Golden West College, he met his future wife Candy. They dated for 7 years before getting married on April 26, 1981. His eldest son, Justin, was born on August 2, 1982. His youngest son, Jonathan, was born on February 15, 1986.
Growing up, Harold was an award winning dog handler and member of the 4H Club, where he took pleasure in raising a variety of farm animals. He also enjoyed drawing, and would often sketch his beloved Irish Setter, Shamrock.
Harold always prided himself on being able to achieve feats others thought impossible. As a young man working for a global airliner, the completion of a series of believed impossible tasks awarded him and his wife a dream honeymoon – a flight around the world. Harold and Candy visited a number of countries, and interacted with landmarks and relics that one could only look at from a distance today.
As Harold’s children began to grow, building became his passion. He built everything from toolboxes to entertainment units. As his children entered the scouting program, so too did this passion. With the help and support of many, he designed and built a space shuttle flight simulator, collapsible kayaks, an artificial lake, an oil derrick, and even a pirate ship. He also created cannons and bow-and-arrows out of PVC pipe and tin foil, and once forged Excalibur out of wood.
When his sons devoted themselves to sports, Harold’s passion turned to supporting their efforts. To help with Jonathan’s pitching skills, the family backyard was converted to a regulation pitching mound. After a few broken bones resulting from Jonathan’s fastball, Harold added regulation catchers gear to the equipment list. As Justin prepared for collegiate level springboard diving, naturally Harold acquired a regulation diving board and raised a 20’ diving harness in the backyard so Justin could practice at home.
As his sons’ sporting endeavors wound down, Harold eventually built a gazebo in the backyard, where he and Candy liked to relax and watch TV in their hot tub. He also enjoyed watching his sons take on their own adventures with their significant others: Justin with his wife Kate, and Jonathan with his long-time girlfriend Ali, both of whom he would lovingly introduce people to as his daughters.
In early 2013 Harold began experiencing his first minor health concerns, after almost 60 years of relatively peak health. By late 2013, his health concerns became major, but the cause was yet unknown. By the end of 2013, it was determined that prostate cancer was the root cause. However, by the beginning of 2014, it was determined that the cancer was unprecedentedly aggressive. His last rights were read on December 26, 2013 and he passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by family on January 10, 2014.