Dr. James E. Curry; Oct. 22, 2010

Dr. James E. Curry, age 84, of Madison died Friday, Oct. 22, at the Madison Manor Nursing Home.

He is predeceased by his parents and a brother, Joseph Wheeler Curry, Jr.

Dr. Curry was born 1926, in Rome, Ga. to Joseph Wheeler and Grace Bowman Curry, and married the former Imogene Guice in Rome in 1949. He graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a B.S. in chemical engineering in 1950, and was awarded a M.S. in chemical engineering the following year from the same institution. In 1972, Dr. Curry was awarded a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Alabama.

Dr. Curry served his country during WWII as a soldier in the U.S. Army, and later as a federal employee, initially hired by the Army Ballistic Missile Agency in 1957. He worked for NASA for 24 years, earning numerous professional honors, including the NASA Exceptional Service Medal in 1975. Dr. Curry retired from NASA in 1981, as chief of the non-metallic materials branch. He taught in the chemical engineering department of the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and later worked for the Remtech and Northrup Grumman Corporations.

Dr. Curry is survived by his wife of 61 years, Imogene Guice Curry of Madison, and by his children Amanda Curry (Harry) Haraseyko of Rockville, Md., Melinda (Joe) Myers of St. Louis, Mo., Jane (Scott) Dyer of Huntsville, and James Curry of Huntsville. Dr. Curry is also survived by his seven grandchildren, Ben (Ashley) Dyer, Joseph Myers, Kathleen Dyer, Lydia Dyer, Claire Myers, Anna Haraseyko, and Hannah Myers, by his great-granddaughter Amelia Dyer, and by his sister Denise LeCroy of Rome.

A memorial service to celebrate Dr. Curry’s life will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 27, at the Restoration Church located at 5810 Wall Triana Highway, Madison. The family asks that friends make contributions to the Alzheimer’s Association or to a charity of their choice instead of sending flowers.

Online condolences may be made at Madisonchapelfuneralhome.com Madison Chapel Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.