Catherine Anne Curtis Minter High

Catherine Anne Curtis was born in Troy, Alabama on December 5, 1939 and grew up in the Mossy Grove community just south of Troy amongst a large extended family where her father grew peanuts and a plethora of other crops. She graduated from Troy High School and then Troy State College before moving to Montgomery, where she was an elementary school teacher for most of the 1960’s.

In 1968, although reluctant to date a farmer after seeing how hard her father had to work, Anne was introduced by mutual friends to a cotton farmer from the Tyler community, namely Jimmy Minter. They were married in early 1969, built their family home in 1970-71, and brought their baby boy Jay home there in 1972. They stayed happily and devotedly wed until Jimmy’s untimely passing from cancer in 1997. Anne went on to become an adoring and active grandmother in the years that followed, and her grandchildren are filled with many warm memories of her.

In 2003, Anne married Andy High, and they had a good decade together until Andy’s mental decline forced her into the role of caretaker, which she loyally did until his passing in early 2018. She stayed fiercely independent after that, continuing to reside in the only home she knew for over 50 years until a heart attack in early 2025 forced her move into Cedar Hill Assisted Living. She passed mercifully quick on November 2 from mounting health complications.

Anne was a devoted community servant for the majority of her life. Over the course of her life, she was involved in too many community organizations to count, but the list includes the Selma Charity League, the Presbyterian Women, the Sturdivant Hall Board, the Selma Garden Club, Master Gardeners, hospital pink ladies, and numerous other organizations. Socially, she was involved the Haymakers and Pandora clubs where she was even Queen Pandora.

Anne’s deepest passion in the community however was in the arts. She became an accomplished local artist focusing primarily in the watercolor medium. She painted many subjects but is best remembered for her works focusing on the rural scenery from the family farm. Her paintings won many, many awards in art shows during the prime of her artistic career. Her paintings of cotton, hay bales, old farm houses, natural scenery, flowers, and other subjests are treasured pieces in many local family homes. She also served in many, many roles in the Selma Art Guild and was one of its leaders for numerous years.

Anne was preceded in death by her parents, McClaran and Catherine Curtis, and by her husbands Jimmy Minter and Andy High. She is survived by her sons Jay Minter of Tyler, Jim (Claire) High of Tuscaloosa, and Bob High of Raleigh, NC as well as her grandchildren Gilley Minter of Mobile, Cink Minter and Madge Minter of Selma, and Anna High of Tuscaloosa. She is also survived by her siblings Larry (Christine) Curtis of Panama City, Bert (Ruth) Curtis of Mossy Grove, Jack (Kathy) Curtis of Hoover, and Jill (Basil) Manly of Pike Road; her sister-in-law Margaret Hyatt of Atlanta; nephews Townsend Hyatt and Torrey Hyatt of Atlanta, John Curtis of Smiths Station, and Kendrick Curtis of Nashville; niece Emily Waymire of Panama City; as well as numerous additional family.

The family extends its deep thanks to the staff of Cedar Hill for their excellent care of her these last two years. The family extends even deeper thanks to her Tyler neighbors Mike and Kim Simpkins for constantly checking on her through the years. The family extends its deepest gratitude to her amazing housekeeper of countless years Willie Blue, who Anne considered a close friend much more that any other description.

The family beseeches, begs, and implores the community to resist their better instincts and not bring any food nor send any flowers. Memorials in Anne’s memory and honor should be made to the Selma Art Guild, the Selma Rotary Club Build-A-Bed For Kids project, or to a charity of one’s choice.

Graveside services will be held in New Live Oak Cemetery on Friday, November 6 at 2:00 PM with Lawrence Brown-Service Funeral Home of Selma directing. The family looks forward to greeting friends graveside both before and after the service as there will be no formal visitation held.