Ivol Ira Curtis (June 18, 1908 – March 1, 1994) was a prelate of the
Episcopal Church who served as
Bishop of Olympia from 1964 to 1976.
Early life and education
Curtis was born on June 18, 1908, in
Watkins, Minnesota
Watkins is a city in Meeker County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 991 at the 2020 census.
History
A post office has been in operation at Watkins since 1887. Watkins was named by railroad officials.
Geography
Watkins is in north ...
, the son of Ira Carlos Curtis and Nina Chisholm. He studied at
Carleton College
Carleton College ( ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, United States. Founded in 1866, the main campus is between Northfield and the approximately Carleton ...
and graduated with a
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...
in 1932. He then entered
Seabury-Western Theological Seminary
Seabury-Western Theological Seminary (SWTS) was a seminary of the Episcopal Church, located in Evanston, Illinois.
It ceased offering the Master of Divinity degree in May 2010, and in January 2012 it moved from Evanston to the Evangelical Luth ...
and earned a
Bachelor of Divinity
In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity or Baccalaureate in Divinity (BD, DB, or BDiv; ) is an academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies.
...
in 1935. He was awarded a
Doctor of Divinity
A Doctor of Divinity (DD or DDiv; ) is the holder of an advanced academic degree in divinity (academic discipline), divinity (i.e., Christian theology and Christian ministry, ministry or other theologies. The term is more common in the Englis ...
from
Occidental College
Occidental College (informally Oxy) is a private liberal arts college in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1887 as a coeducational college by clergy and members of the Presbyterian Church, it became non-sectarian in 1910. It is ...
in 1960.
Ordained Ministry
Curtis was ordained deacon in June 1935 by Bishop
Frank McElwain of Minnesota, and priest in February 1936 by Bishop
Henry Knox Sherrill
Henry Knox Sherrill (November 6, 1890 – May 11, 1980) was an Episcopal bishop. He was the 20th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church from 1947 to 1958, having previously served as Bishop of Massachusetts (1930–1947).
Biography
Henry K ...
of Massachusetts. He married Lillian Alice Kinney on April 16, 1936, and had two sons. His first appointment was as curate at
Emanuel Church in
Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
from 1935 to 1937;, after which he became rector of St Peter's Church in
Cazenovia, New York
Cazenovia is an incorporated Administrative divisions of New York#Town, town in Madison County, New York, United States. The population was 6,740 at the time of the 2020 census. The town is named after Theophilus Cazenove, Theophile Cazenove, th ...
, where he remained until 1942. He then became rector of St John's Church in
Jamaica Plain
Jamaica Plain is a Neighborhoods in Boston, neighborhood of in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Settled by Puritans seeking farmland to the south, it was originally part of Roxbury, Massachusetts, Roxbury. The community seceded from Roxbur ...
,
Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
, while in 1947 he became rector of All Saints Church in
Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac ( ') is a city in and the county seat of Oakland County, Michigan, Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Located roughly northwest of downtown Detroit, Pontiac is part of the Metro Detroit, Detroit metropolitan area, and is vari ...
. Between 1953 and 1960 he was rector of
St James' Church in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
.
Episcopacy
Curtis was elected Suffragan Bishop of Los Angeles in 1960 and was consecrated on April 29, 1960, in St Paul's Cathedral, Los Angeles by Presiding Bishop
Arthur C. Lichtenberger. On February 29, 1964, he was elected as
Coadjutor Bishop of Olympia and succeeded as diocesan on September 6, 1964. He retired in 1976 and later served as Assistant Bishop in Los Angeles. He died following a stroke on March 1, 1994, in
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...
.
See also
*
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Curtis, Ivol Ira
1908 births
1994 deaths
Episcopal bishops of Los Angeles
Episcopal bishops of Olympia
Seabury-Western Theological Seminary alumni
Carleton College alumni