Curtis L. "Scoop" Eshelman, the son of Albert Cummins and Ruth Emily (Askey) Eshelman, was born December 4, 1927, in Noble Township, south of Lyman, IA, and died May 15, 2013, at his home in Mesa, AZ, at the age of 85 years, 5 months, and 11 days.


Scoop attended Noble Center School for three years before going to school in Elliott. He graduated from Elliott High School with the class of 1945. He entered the United States Army February 19, 1946, and served his country until he was honorably discharged on August 16, 1947. After being discharged, Scoop began working for the Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad. On September 18, 1949, he was united in marriage to Barbara Inez DeKay at the Griswold United Methodist Church. He became a Chartered Life Underwriter, and he and Barb lived several different places in Southwest Iowa before settling in Council Bluffs in 1956. In 1987, he retired and he and Barb moved to Kearny, AZ, in 1988. Eight years later, they moved to Mesa, where he remained until the time of his death.


Scoop was a member of the Red Mountain United Methodist Church and had been an active member of the Epworth United Methodist Church in Council Bluffs. He had a passion for flying and had earned his pilot's license when he was younger. More recently he had enjoyed building remote control airplanes and woodworking.


He is preceded in death by his parents, his sister Joyce, and his sister-in-law Sharon.


He is survived by his wife Barbara of Mesa, AZ; his daughters: Cheryl Tousley and husband Rick of Lewiston, ID, Marilyn Lang and husband John of Seattle, WA, and Jodie Boelens and husband Herb of Grand Rapids, MI; his grandchildren: Kristin Johnson and husband John, Rob Schmidt and wife Debbie, Jack Tousley and wife Hazel, Michael Lang, David Lang, Jennifer Standfest and husband Josh, and Pamela Boelens and fiancé Justin Diekevers; his great grandchildren: Morgan, Kendall, Tyler, and Quinn Stanfest and Hunter Schmidt; his brothers Gale "Dutch" Eshelman of Elliott, IA, and Roger Eshelman and wife Marjorie of Ogden, IA; and his sister JoAnn Anderson and husband Dean of Elliott, IA. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, May 22, 2013, at 11:00 AM at the Griswold United Methodist Church in Griswold. An open visitation will be held at the Duhn Funeral Home on Tuesday with the family present from 6-7 PM. Interment will be at the Noble Center Cemetery. Duhn Funeral Home in Griswold is in charge of arrangements.