Stanley D. Curry

Obituary's Biography:

STANLEY D. CURRY
Stanley Dwight Curry of Grayslake, Illinois was born on June 14 (Flag Day),1945
and died peacefully on Friday, January 14, 2022, hand in hand with his devoted wife by his side at the age of 76. Stan “Butch” Curry was preceded in death by his father, Stanley V. Curry and mother, Genevieve (Brinker) Curry, his sister, Shirley and brother, Dale. He attended Joliet Township high school and joined the US Navy in 1964. He is survived by his wife, Marybeth (née Mohr) Curry celebrating 48 wonderful years of marriage. Together they had two children born on opposite coasts – Dr. Sean in CA and Megan in FL. Sean and his wife Catherine blessed him with two grandchildren, Aislinn and Ehren, and Megan blessed him with granddaughter Olivia Rose. He adored and doted on these three amazing beings who gave him constant joy.
Also surviving Stan is his youngest sister Debra who mourns the loss of her deeply loved big brother, for whom she helped care for in his last 6 months. Stan married into a large family, and he will be missed by his brother-in-laws Joe (Kathy), Bob (Darylyn), Jim (Lupe) and by his sister-in-law Janet (Dave). Always up for a joke or game, his many nieces and nephews and their families will miss his smile and presence at future family gatherings.
Stan made numerous friends throughout this life who will sorely miss his humor, friendship and loyalty. One he cherished was his best man and “brother from another mother,” George E. Kezerle, a high school classmate and US Navy veteran. George was able to provide comfort to Stan via phone and shared some of his wisdom from the ministry in his final days.
Stan lived by, and held close, the value and commitment to work, as well as the virtue of supporting and maintaining a home for his family. Enlisting in the U.S. Navy in 1964, he dedicated his life for the sake of the United States and the safety of others and got the opportunity to see (sea) the world. It might be said that he literally kept the ship together while on and off duty. Stan remained on active duty until 1984 when he retired with an honorable discharge after twenty years of dedicated service. Awards, medals and commendations received include: 2 Navy Achievement Medals (the 2nd a Gold Star), a National Defense Service Medal, 2 Sea Service Deployment Ribbons, Battle “E” Ribbon, Marksman 45 Pistol, Navy Expeditionary Medal, Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist Insignia, and 4 Good Conduct Awards. Significant performance evaluation mentions included: his contributions to the implementation of the Race Relations Curriculum at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes (1972); assignment as Officer of the Deck ’76 USS Tattnall, ’83 USS Glover, presentation of his first Navy Achievement Medal for his actions to quell a base disturbance that could have easily escalated into a riot ’79. “CPO Curry’s prompt and decisive action during the onset of the trouble that plagued the Command and civilian community during the days that followed was a contributing factor in keeping the first night’s disturbance from erupting into a full-fledged riot”.-Secretary of the Navy.

After retirement from the Navy, he began his second and third careers at Abbott Laboratories (26 years; several departments) where he retired in 2013 and Metro Self Storage (Facility Maintenance Supervisor, 10 years). He received his Associate of Arts Degree from the College of Lake County and his BA from Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago, IL, which he pursued for a total of 27 years while stationed or deployed all over the world. His work ethic was exemplary!

In 2002, Marybeth and Stan built a home in Carillon North senior community in Grayslake IL abutting the Grayslake Park District golf course. Stan often enjoyed walking out the back door to the 4th tee, begin playing, stop and pay at the Clubhouse and continue until he reached his backyard. Good times and friendship were enjoyed with the Carillon North Men’s Golf League and the Carillon North Veteran’s Group. They had moved recently to live with their daughter and granddaughter.

Being a life-long lover of golf, he experienced his dream of playing the oldest golf courses in England and Ireland on a golf trip in 2006. Stan also took great pride in the care and maintenance of his homes and vehicles, and eagerly faced his greatest challenge of maintaining clean walls, floors and tables during the visits of his three spirited grandchildren. If he wasn’t repairing or cleaning something around the house, he was watching favorite shows on Discovery Channel, National Geographic, the History Channel and Animal Planet. Stan loved all animals and fancied himself a “Whisperer” to dogs and horses.

Our family is deeply grateful to the staff at Victory Lakes Rehab and Transitions Hospice who helped care for Stan in his final months.

We encourage you to toast his memory by quaffing a pint or mixing a bourbon and ginger with a lime squeeze in his name.

-Fair Winds and Following Seas- Notices will be sent for an Irish Wake to celebrate Stan and his life in July 2022 at Sketchbook Brewing Co. in Skokie, IL. To honor Stan’s memory, you may wish to make a donation to the Midwest Veterans Closet, 2323 Green Bay Rd., North Chicago, IL 60064 or to a NO-KILL animal shelter of your choice as these are charities he felt deeply about.