Marie W. Curtis
A Time to be Born
Marie Valdez-Pino was born on June 25, 1919 to Flower Perez and Domingo Valdez-Pino in Havana, Cuba. She was the only child. She was raised in the Roman Catholic faith and educated in the public school systems of Havana.
A Time to Live
Marie came to Miami in 1947 for a brief vacation. While traveling on a bus to visit New York City, she met her husband, Alfred Curtis II. They married on July 25, 1949 and remained in New York. They had two children, Alfred and Ledicia. They made their home in Newburgh, New York.
Marie was a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America (1951) and worked as a chef in notable Westchester restaurants including Brandywine and Sam's which she later owned. She retired in 1977 and settled in Harlem where she lived for 25 years. She relocated to Staten Island in her later years.
A Time to Die
Marie passed away in her sleep at 6:11 a.m. on March 11, 2015 at Milford Center Nursing Home in Milford, Delaware. She is survived by her son, Alfred and her grandchildren Iris and William Seter.