Samuel Curry

Sam Curry, age 72, passed away after a 4 year battle with lung cancer on October 29, 2020. Sam was born March 1, 1948, to the late Rupert and Margie Curry. He grew up in Whitmore Lake with his six brothers and met his wife Mary in grade school. They began dating just after High School.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and brothers Tom, and Rob, mother-in-law, Alberta O’Shay, fathers in law, Marion Douglas, and AJ O’Shay. Sam was a proud veteran of the US Army. After his service, he was employed with Napa Auto Parts and Amway Corporation for many years. He is survived by his wife Mary of 51 years; his children; Lesa (Aaron) Johnson of Holland, MI, Janet (Chris) Doucette of Grand Rapids, MI; grandchildren, Connor, Emily, Mary, Lily, and River. Also surviving are his brothers, Ray Curry, Chuck Curry, Walter (Karen) Curry, Russ Curry and brothers and sisters-in-law; Rod (Shelly) Douglas, Jim (Sharie) Douglas, Walt (Penny) Douglas, Margie (Jack) Niswander and dear friends, Bob White and Julie Dreher.

Determined, as well as hard-working, Sam Curry was the kind of person that would drop whatever he was doing to help those he cared about. A devoted husband, father, and grandfather he savored the time he spent with his family. Sam worked extremely hard to provide for the family he loved. Generous, reliable, and dedicated, he will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.

The 1940s were characterized by WWII. By 1948, the first affordable prefab homes were being built in the United States to solve the growing need of the baby boomers. That same year, Rupert and Margie Curry welcomed home their third of seven sons, Samuel, on March 1st. There was never a dull moment in the Curry home and his childhood was filled with many happy and memorable moments.

Sam and his older brothers, Ray and Chuck, along with their younger brothers, Tom, Rob, Walt, and Russ found their fair share of mischief over the years. They enjoyed the freedom and independence of the times, often staying out late to play games with the neighborhood kids and relishing every last moment of their summers.

Sam and Mary were soulmates. They started a family together when they were blessed with daughters Lesa and Janet. As a dad, Sam was always there for his daughters. He was constantly willing to support them in any way he could, whether it was a car repair or fixing things around their homes once they were out and on their own. He wanted nothing but the best for his family and always made sure they knew of his pride and love for them.

Throughout his life, Sam remained especially close with his siblings. Having lost his father in his mid-twenties, he leaned on his brothers for support. They had an unconditional friendship and unbreakable bond. They loved to work alongside one another fixing old cars or countless home improvement projects. Competitive by nature, they also enjoyed time visiting the local casinos. Win or lose, they always looked forward to the next outing. Musically talented, they enjoyed playing guitars and sharing their gifts at many family gatherings. They often saved plenty of time for playing card games together. Often their discussions and affectionate teasing would last well into the late evening hours whenever they were together. In the last few weeks, before Sam passed, he lived for the visits from his brothers. Even if it took all of his energy to stay up late in order to play cards and hang out together. The joy that followed was always worth it.

Sam treasured his role as a grandfather and looked forward to the many celebrations and milestones still to come. His grandchildren’s lives were extraordinarily impacted by their grandfather’s love for them. From constructing a bulldozer bed for his grandson to helping his older granddaughters move multiple times in and out of college dorms, his generosity of his time and talents will forever leave an impression of admiration and love that they will cherish.

May Sam’s loved ones always live their lives as a reflection of his steadfast compassion for others and may his warm memories live on in their hearts forever.