Curtis Dean Krehbiel

Curtis Dean Krehbiel, 87, of Midland, passed away peacefully at home, Tuesday, January 30, 2024. (He has “gone west”.)   A memorial service will be held 1:30pm, Thursday, February 8, 2024 at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church with burial at Resthaven Memorial Park.

Curt was born on April 10, 1936 in Hutchinson, Kansas to Floyd William Krehbiel and Nellie Rose (Ruehlen) Krehbiel. Curt graduated from Fort Stockton High School (FSHS) in 1953. After a stint at Texas Tech where he played cornet in the Tech band, he paused to work as an oil field roughneck in Fort Stockton, and again to work for Gravity Meter Exploration Co. with an oil exploration crew in northern Guatemala. Curt graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1963 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics with a minor in Spanish. He met Deanna Lorenzo in 1968 while working with Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO) in Bakersfield, California as a landman. They married in Anchorage, Alaska on August 29, 1970, where their two daughters were born. The family moved to Texas in 1975, making their home in Midland since 1976.

Curt was blessed with a high intellect and curious mind. Of the many talents skills developed by Curt, he was an aviator. He earned his private pilot’s license in 1977, bought a Cessna 182 Skylane in 1978, and logged 2,731 hours of flight time and 2,612 landings over 32 years. He was among the few souls who knew the freedom of flying. As a Good Fellow he was one of the QB brotherhood of pilots. These men regard him highly, and have considered him “present” at meetings, even those he was unable to attend.

In 1983, he acquired his 4K ranch property in San Saba County, TX where he took great pleasure in hosting old FSHS buddy poker weekends and hunts with his ARCO landmen “Deer Slayers”. Curt served on the City of Midland Airport Advisory and Development Board in various capacities from 2002 through 2008, including as Chairman from 2007-2008. Curt was a member of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church. His pithy, humorous letters to the editor appeared in the Midland Reporter Telegram. In his later years he would say, “I’ve had a great life and an even greater wife”.

He is survived by his wife, Deanna; son, Randy Lee Krehbiel of Murrieta, California; his and Deanna’s two daughters, Katherine Annette Krehbiel of Houston, Texas, and Kristina Louise (Krehbiel) Johnson and husband Clay of Austin, Texas; five grandchildren, Kristina’s children, Sydney, Rebecca and William Johnson, Randy’s children, Justin and Christian Krehbiel.

The family is grateful for the compassionate care provided by Monica Lavenant and her caregiver team; Myrna, DeeDee, Natalie, and Lasandra, and by Rebecca, Kayla and Tequilla from Hospice of Midland.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Curt’s name may be made to West Texas Boys Ranch or Hospice of Midland.

Honorary pallbearers are Bill Robinson, Bobby Hagens, Brian Sanders, Joe Matthews, Randy Krehbiel, and Clay Johnson.

Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory of Midland. Online Condolences may be made at www.npwelch.com.

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