Curtis Diggs Obituary

Curtis Wright Diggs, Sr. (Indian name Silver Eagle), age 90, passed away on Wednesday, July 21, 2021. Curtis was born in Boomer, WV, to the late Lewis I. and Willie S. Diggs (nee Pace). In high school Curtis played the trumpet in the school band and was on the basketball team. He resided in Pemberton, NJ, for 37 years before relocating to his current residence of 6 years, Mount Laurel, NJ.

Curtis served in the United States Air Force with distinction for 26 years, reaching the rank of Master Sergeant. His assignments took him to diverse parts of the U.S. and the world, including Fairbanks, AK, Beale Air Force Base, CA, Morocco, Guam, and Okinawa, Japan. While serving at Beale AFB, his work included scheduling reconnaissance flights for the SR-71 Blackbird spy plane.

His most significant achievement in the Air Force was designing the new insignia for the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force that was adopted by the Air Force in 1991. After retiring from the Air Force in 1977, he continued to serve his community for the State of NJ for another 20 years, first as the Director of Social Services at New Lisbon Developmental Center and later as the Assistant Director of Social Services at the Vineland Developmental Center before his retirement from the state in 1999.

In his free time, Curtis enjoyed collecting coins, postage stamps and Hess trucks, target practice, playing golf and basketball, listening to classical music, and writing letters to and poetry about his family and children. Curtis is survived by his beloved wife of 59 years, Aloma Diggs (nee Wimbish); children, Marlene Diggs, Curtis Diggs, Jr., Theresa Jones, Provia Diggs, April Weston (Simon), and Rachel Ojani; siblings, Marlene Kendall and Jean Campbell; grandchildren, Richard A. Jones., Drew B. Diggs, Renna Logiurato, Joshua L. Diggs, and Mandi; and several great-grandchildren.

Family and friends are invited to his Memorial Service on Friday, July 30, 2021 at 11:00AM, at Mount Laurel Home for Funerals, 212 Ark Rd, Mt Laurel, NJ 08054.