Earl R. Curry passed away on August 8, 2024, at the age of 90. He is survived by his wife, Leslie, with whom he shared 46 years of love, the best kids and grandkids, old houses, books, music, theater, Cape Cod summers, all things Irish, great friends and extended families, and progressive politics. He is already dearly missed by her, his children Carolyn (David) Taylor, Kevin (Stacey) Curry, Amy (Clark Bennett) Curry, Owen (Jennifer Tello) Curry, and Brynn (Luis Ramos) Curry, along with 13 grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and a “family” of close friends. He is also survived by his sister Janet Clark and niece Kathy Clark Binder. Earl was preceded in death by his parents, Donald and Margaret, and his sisters, Betty and Ruth.
Earl led a very full and interesting life. Born and raised in Monmouth, Illinois, as the only brother to three sisters, he attended Catholic schools throughout his childhood. Despite the relentless discipline of the nuns—and perhaps his sisters—Earl often joked that this strict upbringing led to an education better than he might have otherwise received. He spent his summers working labor-intensive jobs with his father, who “encouraged” Earl to further his education by having him endure one particularly grueling summer job in a lime shack. This experience convinced Earl that college might be a pretty good option after all.
Following high school, Earl enlisted in the US Air Force, serving for three years. He then became the first in his family to attend college, earning his BS at Iowa State University. Not one to stop there, Earl went on to receive an MA and PhD in history from the University of Minnesota. He built a distinguished career in academia, first teaching at Monmouth College in New Jersey, and then at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, where he taught from 1968 to 2000. Beloved by students and fellow faculty, Earl did have a bit of a rebellious streak that may have caused a few raised eyebrows in administration. Nevertheless, he served as chair of the history department twice and was highly respected. Earl particularly enjoyed exploring conflict resolution in foreign countries, and for years, he took Hope College May Term students to Ireland to study it firsthand. His passion for history was equaled only by his passion for Ireland—a love affair his students spoke of in reverent tones.
Even after retiring from Hope College, Earl’s passion for teaching remained strong. He continued to share his love of history as an adjunct professor at Kendall College of Art & Design in Grand Rapids, MI.
Speaking of passion, Earl was an avid golfer, which is perhaps even an understatement. His golf clubs accompanied him wherever he traveled, and he would often hit the links with strangers, though he also had regular golfing friends with whom he played for over half a century. Earl even combined his love of Ireland with golf, founding the “Irish Open,” an annual golf tournament and dinner with close friends that became a cherished tradition for nearly two decades. There was a trophy. It was coveted. Earl played the game well into his late 80s—a testament to his zest for life if not his athletic prowess.
Earl had too many interests to name, but a few worth mentioning include cooking, pie-making, movies, theater, and reading. He was a voracious reader, devouring everything from mystery novels to dense military histories. He read the New York Times daily and remained a dedicated subscriber to the Blue and Gold, the foremost authority on all things Notre Dame football. While he enjoyed many “cultured” pastimes, his love for sports—especially Notre Dame football—was unmatched. Truly, Earl was a renaissance man in his wide-ranging interests.
But where Earl truly shone was in his role as Grandpa. His 13 grandchildren experienced a love and energy from him that knew no bounds. From walks, songs, tickles, and storytelling to Cape Cod vacations with doughnuts for breakfast every day, these kids were showered with an unconditional love that was unparalleled. Ask his kids and grandkids—they have stories, and those stories will be passed down for generations to come.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a memorial contribution to Hearts of Hope Dog Rescue, Legal Aid of Western Michigan, or Hillary Scholten for Congress.
Visitation with his family is Thursday, the 15th of August, at O’Brien Eggebeen Gerst Funeral Home (3980 Cascade Rd SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546) from 6:00pm – 7:30pm.
9 Responses
Earl was a wonderful human and I feel blessed to have enjoyed his company as a child and as an adult. I am especially grateful for the friendship he had with my father. Their shared love of story telling, adventuring, and golfing served them well over the years. That he is going to be greatly missed is an understatement. Sending the entire Curry clan my love.
As my Hope colleague, Earl combined his progressive voice and influence with a wonderful dry wit. His presence enriched us.
As an undergraduate history major, I was among those who vetted Earl when he applied for the history position. We were captivated then by his wit, wry grin, and far-ranging wisdom. As a faculty colleague I came to know him for his many passions. I was grateful that I could always count on him to guard my left flank when in the heat of a campus-wide debate. I will miss him and treasure the friendship we had. RIP dear friend.
Earl was bluntly subtle or subtly blunt. I was always joyfully intimidated by his breadth of knowledge and substantiated points of view though he never once personally intimidated me. That was not his way. He was simply and complexly progressive in all things. What a rich life he fully lived. I loved his chuckle. I loved that he and Leslie were two who became innumerable.
Earl was a good friend and golfing buddy. He, John Tammi and I played the links courses around the country of Ireland for a week on two occasions. He and John had told me stories about those courses for many years, and kindly invited me to join them after my retirement. Many great memories of our times together then as well as at Hope.
In my residential life days, our favorite event for the students was to invite Earl into the dorms with Jack Holmes for debates, especially during presidential elections. They would tear into each other on the issues, never the person, and then walk out together chatting. The students were always amazed at their knowledge of the issues and their ability to disagree respectfully. And, when I took a modern history course with Earl, it was one of the toughest courses I had at Hope College. I loved it.
What an absolute gem of a human being Earl was. I will always fondly remember the short time that I had with him. Leslie and family, my deepest condolences as you work through your grief. Thank you for allowing me to be part of Earls life. Those of us who were fortunate enough to have had some time with him, will cherish those memories.
I grew up next door to Earl Curry. Leslie, Brynn and Owen were central to my daily life, but Earl was most present when he would call out the window at midnight when my high school friends and I were still laughing loudly on the front porch…and he had an early tee time. I loved that man dearly. I am so saddened to hear this, and so so happy he got to live the long fruitful life he deserved. Love to the whole Curry clan.
I was lucky enough to have Dr. Curry as professor and his passion definitely added to my enjoyment of his course. Wonderful professor!