July 17, 1976 – March 1, 2024

A man who was deeply loved by many passed away unexpectedly on March 1, 2024, from a sudden heart attack.

Curtis was born on July 17, 1976, in Bellevue, Washington to Deanne Coyle DeWitt Freise of Whidbey Island and Nile Kinnick Clarke, deceased.

Curtis grew up on Mercer Island when there were wild spaces and water for exploration and trees to climb with his siblings, many friends and cousins. Curtis always set his own path and loved to initiate outdoor adventure.

He was very creative and loved building, from saunas, to model airplanes, and forts in the woods. It was no surprise that later in life he used these gifts to frame houses, design and build structures, as a prelude to becoming a machinist and excelling in computer assisted design. Nor was it a surprise that he loved outdoor activities such as boating, skiing, sailboarding, hiking, fishing, camping, lake swimming and landscaping. Curt just loved the outdoors and loved creating things that he then built with his own hands and skill. He was a perfect fit for growing up on Mercer Island and for living on Whidbey Island!

Curt was a natural athlete. As a youth, he played soccer, football, baseball, lacrosse, water skied, snow skied and rowed crew. While in high school he became a ski instructor at Alpental. He inherited athletic ability from both his mother and father. His maternal great uncle William “Wee” Coyle quarterbacked for the UW Huskies, was inducted into the UW Hall of Fame, was a WW I hero and became Lt. Governor of the state of Washington. On his father’s side great cousin Nile Clarke Kinnick won a Heisman Trophy playing quarterback for the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Curt was very inquisitive and loved to learn. An avid and eclectic reader, he loved conversation on a wide variety of subjects; travelled Europe, Asia and Australia and never stopped learning.

Curtis also loved to treat his friends and family to cooking creations – barbecued steak, oysters, hors d’oeuvres, and his famous chicken soup with its medicinal attributes.

Curtis graduated from Mercer Island High School in 1995 and enrolled at Washington State University. Unfortunately his college career was interrupted by a serious auto accident. Curt overcame the injury and then attended Whatcom Community College, only to be injured again, this time when a scaffolding collapsed while he was restoring a wooden boat in Port Townsend. Curt again overcame adversity and ultimately earned certifications as a machinist and a computer assisted designer at Lake Washington Institute of Technology. Curt earned the Dean’s list every quarter; amazed his instructors with creations that even his instructors did not know how to make. In recognition of his abilities they employed him as a teaching assistant.

Curtis moved to Whidbey Island in 1999. Whidbey Island was a perfect location for him to recover from the serious injuries he sustained in the auto accident and from the scaffolding collapse. Curt revived in the fresh sea air; the peaceful, green trees; the many bird species and other wildlife, and most importantly, the love of his mother and his two dear cats.

During Curtis’ twenty-five years of living on Whidbey, Curtis made many friends and worked with many fine people. For the past few years, in addition to his own independent carpentry and handyman employment, Curt worked for his longtime friend Bret Christenson, owner of the Whidbey Millhouse. One of Curtis’ goals was to integrate computer assisted design into the Millhouse’s processes – a project which he accomplished the day before he drove his last lumber delivery.

That last morning he etched a happy face message for Bret regarding success on the computer assisted design project; and had upbeat conversations with friends. Curt had many conversations with work colleagues and mentors Shawn Van Giesen and Rev. Jan David DeWitt. When he passed on to live in eternity with his Creator and Savior, Curtis was looking forward to the plans he was making with his friends and colleagues.

We thank God for Curtis, and for each of his friends and family members who had a role in his life. He will be profoundly missed.

Curtis is survived by his beloved mother, Deanne DeWitt Freise (husband Eric Freise); sister, Shannon Coyle Clarke Golden (husband. Daniel Golden); brother, “K.C.” Nile Kinnick Clarke, Jr. (wife Amber Bills Clarke); nieces Megan Coyle Golden, Kiera Grace Golden Smith (husband Keaton Smith), and Riley Lynn Golden; nephews Jackson Kinnick Clarke and Samuel DeWitt Clarke; and grandnephew Finnegan Smith. Curtis was predeceased by his father, Nile Kinnick Clarke (wife Marilee Clarke), who passed away January 19, 2021.

There will be a Celebration of Curtis and his life on Sunday, June 2, 2024, at 2:00 p.m., followed by a reception at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, 6309 S. Wilson Place, Clinton, WA 98236. All of Curt’s friends and family are encouraged to attend. The pastors will be his uncle, Rev. Jan David DeWitt, and the new pastor of St. Peter’s, Rev. Steven Olson.

Those wishing to contribute to a memorial to Curtis are encouraged to donate to St. Peter’s Lutheran Church’s Restoration Fund.