Thad Curtis, November 27, 1912 - November 6, 1988 lived in Hollis, Oklahoma from 1937 to 1951 and moved to Midwest City, Oklahoma in 1951. He and wife Lois had a son, Kent, and daughter, Cynthia. He was a store manager for C.R. Anthony Co, a department store chain in Oklahoma now named Stage Stores.

Thad Curtis' hybridized the rose named "Lemon Fluff" which is one parent to breeder David Zlesak's hybrid rose named "Above and Beyond", a drought tolerant rose having a robust root system introduced in 2014 by Bailey Nurseries. The other parent to "Above and Beyond" is a dual F1 species cross between Rosa laxa and Rosa virginiana.

The following obituary is from the Oklahoman newspaper published on November 8, 1988:

"Thad Curtis died November 6, 1988, after a long illness, at the Brookline Four Seasons Nursing Home in Oklahoma City. He was born November 27, 1912 in San Antonio, Texas and his family later moved to Mangum, Oklahoma, where he graduated from high school in 1932. Thad married Lois Braswell of Hollis, Oklahoma on June 7, 1936 and they have lived in Midwest City since 1952. Their only child, Cynthia Ledbetter, also lives in Midwest City with her husband, Richard, and their 2 children, Kent, 19 and Holly, 16. Thad was with C.R. Anthony Co. for 43 years, serving as store manager and supervisor. His greatest gratification during his career was seeing the young men he trained become successful. Thad was a faithful member of Wickline United Methodist Church. He was a civic leader, organizing the Midwest City Kiwanis Club. His hobby was growing and hydbridizing roses. Five of his roses are on the market, including "Little Pioneer" which was introduced at the National Rose Convention in 1986. His patriotic nature stemmed from his serving in the United States Navy for 2 1/2 years in the Pacific during World War II. Other survivors include his sister, Texanna Hoyer, of Sun City, Arizona and her four children of Phoenix. He also has many relatives living in Granite, Oklahoma.

"Funeral services will be held Wednesday, November 9, 1988 at 3:00 p.m. at Wickline United Methodist Church in Midwest City, with burial in Arlington Memory Gardens. Services conducted by Paylor Funeral Home."