Curtis Neal Langewisch, 66, of Independence, Missouri, passed away Monday, November 22, 2021, at his home. 

Born November 20, 1955, in Lexington, Missouri, Curtis was the third child of Edwin Fred Langewisch and Muriel (Bales) Langewisch. 

His family moved to rural Fayette, Missouri in 1961 where he finished first grade in the last country school in Howard County. He graduated in 1974 from New Franklin High School and then attended the University of Missouri at Columbia where he met the love of his life, Brenda Kay Riekhof of Higginsville. He graduated from MU in 1978 with a BS in Agricultural Engineering. 

Curtis married Brenda on September 9, 1978, and they moved to Peoria, Illinois where he was employed by Caterpillar at the Mossville Engine Center. They joined the Peace Corps and served in Tonga from 1982 to 1984 where Curtis helped manage a repair facility for road and agricultural equipment. 

After leaving Caterpillar, Curtis and Brenda moved to their farm in Higginsville. Curtis had great compassion for all animals and lovingly cared for many rescue animals there. Because of his deep love of nature, he planted flowering bee pollinators in an entire field. He served as a rural postal carrier and in partnership with Brenda’s brother, Aaron, tried his hand at growing and selling figs. Curtis and Brenda were in the process of turning their farm into a private wildlife sanctuary.

In 2007, Curtis and Brenda moved to Independence where he maintained and managed several rental houses. Curtis especially enjoyed meeting and making friends with people from all over the world who stayed at his historic vacation rental houses. Curtis engineered his own method of attaching clay tiles, and he single-handedly loaded heavy clay tile from the ground up and through the ceiling of a second-floor sunroom to replace and restore the beautiful tile roof of their circa 1928 stone home that they named “The Castle”.

As his parents aged and needed help, Curtis was always by their sides performing whatever needed to be done for them, and never complained.

Curtis is survived by his wife, Brenda, his mother, four siblings: Edwin H (Deborah) Langewisch of Dunlap, Illinois, Stewart A (Carol) Langewisch of Metamora, Illinois, Betty (Barry) Pennington of Pleasant Hill, Missouri, and Keith L (Barbara) Langewisch of Huntsville, Alabama; and 10 nieces and nephews, plus several great-nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his five brothers-in-law and their families: David Q. Riekhof (Nancy), Nathan R. Riekhof (Angel), Aaron T. Riekhof (Deborah), Adlai V. Riekhof (Ronda) and Jon E. Riekhof (Deborah).

Curtis loved greatly, was greatly loved, and is greatly missed. 

Cremation is planned and memorial services will be held at a later date. 

Online condolences may be expressed at www.speakschapel.com (Arrangements: Speaks Suburban Chapel (816) 373-3600).