EUGENE CHARLES CURZON, JR., M.D.
October 6, 1930 – November 8, 2017
A memorial service celebrating the life of Eugene Charles Curzon, Jr., M.D. will be held Monday November 13, 2017 at Ibert’s Mortuary from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., followed by funeral services conducted by Reverend Sue Pugh at the First United Methodist Church at 1 p.m.. Serving as pallbearers will be Paul Rodgers, Dirk Waldron, Eugene C. Curzon III, Jon Russell, Brian Cary, Stephen Rodgers, and Peter Rodgers.
Dr. Curzon was a native of southern California and longtime resident of Franklin, La. He passed away Wednesday, Nov. 8 at his home with his wife, Margot, by his side. He was born in Los Angeles, California on October 6, 1930 along with his twin brother James Earl Curzon to Eugene Charles and Ailene Curzon. He attended the University of Southern California and graduated from the Keck School of Medicine at USC in 1956. It was at USC that he met his first wife, Mary Jo Thielmann. Together they had three children; she preceded him in death.
He served as a surgeon and Ob-Gyn in the United States Army as a Lt. Colonel; including a tour of Vietnam where he helped save and repair young servicemen in a MASH hospital. In 1970, after he left the Army, he set up private practice in San Clemente, Calif. where he delivered hundreds of babies. It was there he was chosen to deliver the first child born to Julie and David Eisenhower, the first grandchild of President Richard Nixon.
He loved life at the beach in the sun and on his boat with his family. In 1976, He married Margot Waldron and the family doubled in size. Family life was always busy and exciting with six teens and many wonderful memories were made with weekends and vacations on the Ad Lib cruising over to Catalina Island. In 1994, Gene and Margot moved to Franklin, La. for what they thought would be a few years. After a short time they grew to love Franklin and the people of the Bayou Teche area and never left. In Franklin, he was employed by Franklin Foundation Hospital, opened a private practice, and worked for Teche Action Clinic where he delivered hundreds more babies until he retired in 2009. The Bayou Teche was a constant source of enjoyment for him, whether on his pontoon boat or in backyard tending to his gardens and koi pond.
He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Franklin and served on their board for several years. Other organizations Gene was honored to be apart included the Kiwanas Club, USC Alumni Boosters, and Shriners and Masons Order.
Those left to cherish his memory are: his loving wife of 41 years, Margot; his six children and their spouses: Cami and Paul Rodgers, Dirk and Connie Waldron, Gene and Melissa Curzon, Allyson and Jon Russell, Terri Boudreaux, and Babette and Brian Cary, as well as “chosen children” Lisa McCool, Daniel and Teresa Grassman, Larissa Martez, and Val Farrell; his grandchildren: Michelle, Devin, Jennifer, Lisa, Becky, Joseph, Stephen, Benjamin, Peter, Cameron, David, Geoffrey, Kendyl, Jeffrey, and Brody; eighteen great grandchildren; sister-in-law, Vera Curzon; and his nephews, John and Marti Curzon and their family, and Tom and Ann Curzon and their family.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Eugene C. Curzon and Ailene Curzon; and his twin brother, James Earl Curzon.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Shriners Children’s Hospital, Franklin Healthcare Center, or Hospice of Acadiana.
The family would like to express their deepest gratitude to his caregiver Josie Boatman and the staff of Hospice of Acadiana for their loving and compassionate care given.
Family and friends may view the obituary and express their condolences online by visiting www.iberts.com.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Ibert’s Mortuary, Inc., 1007 Main Street, Franklin, La. 70538, (337) 828-5426.