Nathan Curtis Interviews

 

 

 Guide to the

Nathan Curtis Interviews
1995-1997

33 linear feet

Collection Number 203

Prepared by Elaina J. Bordelon
June 2006

 

CITATION:  Nathan Curtis Interviews, Collection No. 203, Box number, Folder number, Archives and Special Collections Department, Frazar Memorial Library, McNeese State University.                                                                               

Archives and Special Collections Department
Frazar Memorial Library
McNeese State University
 

Biographical Sketch

Nathan Curtis was born on February 3, 1928, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He graduated from Pride High School and attended Louisiana State University. In 1946, he enlisted in the United States Army and served in occupied Korea for a year and a half. He also visited Japan during this trip.

After his time of service to his country, Mr. Curtis embarked on a multi-faceted career. He began this career in journalism, working for the North Baton Rouge Journal, and went on to become the Circulation Manager for the Jennings Daily News as well as Colorado’s Alamosa Daily News. Mr. Curtis has been in Lake Charles since 1962, where he worked as an insurance agent for Met Life for 10 years. In 1974, he opened his own agency, Curtis Insurance, which is still in operation today. He became a real estate agent as well.

In 1992, Mr. Curtis was asked to fill in for a local radio show host at KAOK, as he was a regular call-in to the show. This led to the station offering him his own show, which he accepted, and worked alongside Ed Prendergast. He worked at KAOK for three years and then worked at KOJO, 91.7 FM, from 1995-1998. He had a 30-minute show and interviewed a wide range of people during his three years, from politicians to missionaries. One of his favorite interviews was with a woman who needed a heart transplant, whom he interviewed in hopes of making her plight known, and who later received the transplant that saved her life. Other favorite interviews include those with former presidential candidate Alan Keyes, Lake Charles Mayor Randy Roach, Mike Foster (during his first gubernatorial campaign), Cleo Fields, and Patricia Minaldi, who is now a Federal Judge.

Mr. Curtis has been involved in a wide range of political and civic activities. He has been very active in local politics; he has run for City Council, worked for numerous campaigns and organized a Get Out the Vote Campaign. The Get Out the Vote Campaign entailed a group of volunteers calling and contacting others and encouraging them to vote, and positive results were achieved through this endeavor. Mr. Curtis also outlined a Neighborhood Drug Education Program that received national attention. The National Organization against Marijuana presented the program to presidential candidate Ross Perot, whom Curtis eventually met. The program involved neighborhood families meeting and uniting in an effort to prevent drug abuse in their areas. Mr. Curtis also organized the Conservative Christian Resource Center, which was incorporated and held meetings where such challenging issues as gambling were discussed.

Nathan Curtis is a past member and president of the Jennings Lion’s Club. He also has been extremely active in the Sons of Confederate Veterans, a heritage organization. He was chaplain of the local James W. Bryan Camp for many years. He has been committed to promoting Southern heritage, and has participated in Civil War reenactments in various parts of the South.

In addition to his community involvement, Mr. Curtis is very active in charitable projects as well. Beginning in 1998, he ran the Salvation Army Homeless Shelter in Lake Charles, and has been the Salvation Army’s Community Relations Director. In association with the organization, Mr. Curtis volunteered his services near Ground Zero in New York City in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. He spent two weeks there helping to feed police and rescue personnel. Mr. Curtis has also been a board member of the Homeless Coalition since 1999, and in 2006, the Coalition named a home in his honor. He is very involved in his church, the Tom Hebert Road Baptist Church, and has been a Deacon and Sunday school teacher there for many years.

Nathan Curtis has two children, Tommy Curtis and Phyllis Padua, and a grandson, Danny. His son and daughter are partners in Curtis Insurance.

 

Scope and Content Note 

The collection consists of interviews conducted by Nathan Curtis for his KOJO 91.7 FM radio show “An Encouraging Word.” The show ran from 1995 through 1997. The interviews cover a variety of topics, including politics and church related issues. 

Container List 

Box

Date

Interviewee

1

1-15-95

Dr. Bill Lacy – 115th Anniversary, First Baptist Church, Lake Charles

 

1-16-95

Kenny André

 

1-20-95

W. T. Darnell - Calvary Baptist, Sulphur, Open-house. Attempted interview with Steve Wilkins, speaker 1-21-95 at annual Lee-Jackson Banquet, aborted due to technical difficulty

 

1-23-95

Dr. Emil Turner; Patty Hanks and Linda Beard

 

1-24-95

Del Wantland – Pointman Mininstries; Johnny Fryar

 

1-25-95

Dr. Bill Lacy – 115th Anniversary of First Baptist Church, Lake Charles (telephone); Ron Weber – Faith Bible Church

 

1-26-95

Ron & Chris Robicheaux – Holly Beach Resort Ministry

 

1-27-95

Dr. Leonard Sanderson

 

1-27-95 to
1-30-95

Dr. Hugh Van Eaton (no show); Sam Tolbert and Dr. Terry Long

 

2-2-95

Bart Glatt – Blast from the Past; Eddie Simmons – Sale Street Baptist

 

2-3-95

Bart Glatt – Blast from the Past; Sabrah Kingham and Malcom Self – Methodist School

 

2-6-95

Dale Nazworth – Friendship Baptist; Lee and Martha Hardy – Trinity Baptist

 

2-7-95

Perry Vincent – LA Radio Communications (Andre Kole, Illusionist was subject); Wayne Dartez – Pastor, Victory Baptist

 

2-8-95

Dr. Jerry Chaney; Peter and Rachel Goldfelter

 

2-9-95

Calvin Hall – campers on mission; John Vining – Moss Bluff United Methodist

 

2-10-95

Ray Wells – Family Life Director, LA Baptist Association (Newlyweds Retreat at Dry Creek)

 

2-10-95

Don McKinney – Heritage Baptist

 

2-14-95

Ronnie Estes – Boulevard Baptist; Joel Hassell – Episcopal Renewal Church of Our Savior

 

2-15-95

Keith Owens – Christian Coalition; John Astling – Calvary Baptist

 

2-16-95

Ron Davis – Bethel Presbyterian, Christian Counseling; Mr. and Mrs. Ron Osten – Bethel Bible Baptist, Westlake, LA

 

2-17-95

Bill Houck – Bellview Baptist, Westlake, LA; David Veillon and Dirk Meyers – First Church of Jesus Christ

2

2-20-95

Keith Edwards; Hildegard Duffy and Jessie Bertrand

 

2-21-95

Sylvia Marcantel and Brian King – Hospice Home Care of St. Patrick Hospital; Sherry Sharp – Care-Help of Sulphur, Inc.

 

2-22-95

Steve Wilkins and Kenny André (telephone interview); Ed Rose and Dr. Terry Long – Moss Bluff Bible Church

 

2-23-95

Patty Hankins – “Joy in the Journey,” March 3-4, 1995; Doug Barberousse – Edward D. Jones and Co.

 

2-24-95

Allan Barker – Head Baseball Coach, Oral Roberts University

 

2-27-95

Craig and Debra Chambers; Manny Diaz – Church of the Brethren

 

2-28-95

(Prayer-A-Thon); James Stillm, Bob Colquette and Calvin Hall; John Astling

 

3-1-95

Harvey and Marjorie Kieffer, mission to Honduras, June ’95; James P. Garahan Jr. (legal advice)

 

3-2-95

Gerald Maffit (testimony, aneurism and consequent double amputation); Pearl Cole – Abraham’s Tent

 

3-3-95

Brent and Bryan Daigle – Sulphur High School; John Kyle – Dr. Hankins’ 10th Anniversary

 

3-6-95

Brooks Fleig – Shepherd’s Rest Chaplain, Sheriff’s Department; Hugh Wallace – Minister of Music, First Baptist Church, Lake Charles

 

3-7-95

Rev. Samuel Tolbert – Greater Saint Mary Baptist Church, City Council, District A; Dr. Michael Kurth – McNeese State University, on KAOK

 

3-9-95

Pat Porter; Margie Fontenot, Nanette Cagney – “Women Aglow”

 

3-10-95

Hugh Wallis – First Baptist Church, Lake Charles; Mary W. Frohn – Literacy Council

 

3-13-95

Phil Christopher; (“Truth” promotion)

 

3-14-95

Bill Houck; Vernon Chevallier

 

3-15-95

Brandon Jones – Lake Charles Bible Church; Mark LaRue – South Lake Charles Baptist Church

 

3-16-95

James Still; Jerry Myers Part 1 – Hungry for God

 

3-16-95

Larry Myers Part 2 – Hungry for God

 

3-17-95

Bridget Taylor – gospel singer (telephone); Betty and Tom Woodell – Habitat for Humanity

 

3-20-95

Marion Warren; Greg Oliver

3

3-21-95

James Still; Kelly Coleman

 

3-22-95

Tom Westbrook – Focus Week speaker at McNeese State University, and Jerry Nash – Baptist Student Union Director; Bernice Hebert “Lucy” – Alanon

 

3-23-95

Keith Owens

 

3-24-95

Rev. John Bosman – Glad Tidings Church; Rev. Don Johnson – 12th Street Baptist Church

 

3-27-95

Sally Garner; John David Crow – Evangelist

 

3-28-95

Karlene Morris (coping); Dan Ford – Salvation Army

 

3-29-95

Boo Kay – Episcopal Day School; Mary Condit

 

3-30-95

Tom Estling – Promise Keepers; Dennis Irwin – Revival Evangelist, Calvary Baptist

 

3-31-95

Ellen Romero (Barbe High School) and Joel Turner (Sulphur High School) – First Baptist Lake Charles, Youth; Joe McNeil – First Baptist Lake Charles, McNeese Library

 

4-3-95

Pat Porter – Youth Speaker, Evangelist, First Baptist, Lake Charles; Paul Draughn – Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd (Haiti missions report)

 

4-4-95

Dr. Bill Hart; Joey McNamara

 

4-5-95

Bradley Veronie – Ulster Project

 

4-6-95

Kelly Coleman – “Blessings for Obedience”; John Bailey – Minister of Music, Moss Bluff

 

4-7-95

Bubba Thurman and John Latham; Ron Davis

 

4-10-95

Linda Fritzinger

 

4-11-95

James Still – “After the Storm”; Brook Fleig

 

4-12-95

Larry Thibodeaux; Mark McMurry

 

4-13-95

Rick Condit – professional Jazz musician, home schooler; Boyd Williamson – Pilot

 

4-14-95

Steve Floyd; John Kyle (promo: William Murray)

 

4-17-95

William Murray; Robert Almond – Westlake Christian Book and Video

 

4-18-95

Gill Broussard – Moss Bluff First Baptist, trip to Russia; Brian Kershaw – Iowa First Baptist Church

 

4-19-95

Peter Dart – Professor of Mass Communications at McNeese State University; Shirley Bridgeforth – Shoney’s Restaurant of Lake Charles

4

4-12-95

Shelly Owens – Christian Coalition, “Extended Edition of Encouraging Word”

 

4-19-95;
4-21-95

Curt Iles – Manager, Dry Creek Baptist Camp and Conference Center; David Carroll – Gospel for Asia and James Ball – Street Wise

 

4-20-95

Stewart Lankford – Associate Pastor, Glad Tidings Assembly of God Church; Connie Nugent – Sale Street Baptist Church
(Jingles)

 

4-21-95

Stephanie Latiolan and Jenny Bragg; Ron Davis – Bethel Presbyterian Christian Counseling

 

4-24-95

Todd Fontenot – Attorney, Thomas and Hardy (Law Day); Ray Bourque – Eastern Heights Baptist Church, DeQuincy

 

4-25-95

Jude Theriot – Superintendent Elect, Calcasieu Parish Schools; Rick McClain – 4th Avenue Church of God

 

5-1-95

Marilyn Bergstedt; Mark Abraham (National Day of Prayer)

 

5-2-95

Burton Ashwoth – Carylss United Pentecostal Church; Mike Honoree – Deacon, Glad Tidings Assembly of God Church

 

5-3-95

Wayne Elliot – Trinity Baptist, Sulphur; Finers Cryer – Minister of Music, First Baptist Church, Sulphur

 

5-4-95

Mary Alice Guillory and Selene Landry; Gene Thomas – Deputy Director of NASA

 

5-5-95

(Youth) Melanie Barrett and Elizabeth Shandersky; Mindy Williams – Christian Counseling, New Life Counseling

 

5-9-95

Nay Vickers – Pastor, Baptist Church, Choupique, LA ; Robbie Strong – Chaplain Phelps Correctional Institute

 

5-10-95

Al Willis – Lake Charles Safe and Lock; Dr. James Hebert (Evangelism)

 

5-11-95

Rev. Mary Hassell and Fay Abraham - KAIROS; Rick and Mary Condit

 

5-12-95

Youth, Seniors ’95; Doug Barbarousse – Financial Advisor

 

5-15-95

Dale Nazworth – Friendship Baptist; Steve Caraway – University United Methodist