Richard L. Curry, 81, of New Bedford died Wednesday December 29, 2010. He was the husband of Florence A. (Gannon) Curry; they had been married for 56 years.
Born in New Bedford, he was the son of the late George F. Curry Jr. and Hattie (Lindeberg) Curry.
He attended Holy Family grammar and high schools, and while in high school played on the baseball team and drums in the school orchestra.
He was a communicant of Holy Name of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish.
As a member of the original Holy Name Parish, he was active on the parish council at various times, and was on the building committee for the Parish Center. He has served as a Eucharistic Minister since June 1979, and in 1995 became the parish recipient of the diocesan Marian Medal.
Mr. Curry worked as a typesetter at Baker Printers for nearly twenty years, and at Reynolds-DeWalt Printing almost 23 years. He retired from the New Bedford Public Schools Printing Department in October, 2001 after working 53 years in the graphic arts trade.
He was a former member of the Massachusetts Army National Guard, 1/211 Artillery, serving 12 years and became the Battalion Ammunition Sergeant attaining the rank of Sergeant First Class. He served on active duty in 1961 at Fort Bragg, NC during the Berlin Crisis.
Mr. Curry's foremost concern was his family.
He is survived by his widow; a daughter, Sandra M. Dias and her husband William of Fairhaven; two sons, Mark R. Curry and his wife Nancy of Dartmouth, and Richard S. Curry and his wife Laura of Castle Rock, CO; one grandaughter, Angela Curry, and six grandsons, Todd Dias, Jacob Dias and his wife Kerri, Lee Dias, Patrick Curry, Alex Curry, and Maxx Curry-Joseph; and one great-grandson, Noah Dias.
He was brother of the late George F. Curry III and Donald J. Curry.
The family would like to thank the staff of The Royal of Fairhaven for their loving care and compassion extended to Richard and his family.
His Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday at 12 Noon at Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church. Burial will follow in St. Mary's Cemetery. Visiting hours will be on Sunday from 3-7 PM at the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.