Robert Earl Curtis was born into a ranching family and was reared on the Pitchfork Ranch with his two brothers. Growing up he would work on the ranch with his dad. After graduating from high school, he married his high school sweetheart, Frances Hamby. He was a third-generation rancher. He grew up on the Pitchfork Ranch near Meeteetse, where his dad was the foreman. After his marriage, he worked for his dad on the Pitchfork Ranch. The Curtis Family moved to Big Timber, Montana, where they lived for few years, before returning to Park County, where Robert, his brothers, and his dad leased the W Bar Ranch on the Wood River. They ran 500 head of Hereford cattle on the 5,000-acre ranch. Then Earl, his brothers, and his dad bought the Two Dot Ranch near Cody. While at the Two Dot, the family controlled 250,000 acres. They ran 2,500 head of Angus cows and more than 100 head of registered American Quarter Horses. His dad was the manager of the ranch and Earl was the manager of the cattle operations. In June of 1975, the family decided to sell the Two Dot. Earl and wife Frances brought a ranch on the South Fork, where they ran horses. He continued to work in the ranching business including working for Bert Schultz on the 711 Ranch and on the Diamond Bar Ranch.