Orpha Ellen Jones Curry

BLUE MOUNTAIN LAKE Orpha Ellen Jones Curry, 75, of Durant Road, passed away peacefully Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2007, at Adirondack Tri- County Nursing Home, following an extended illness. Born on Jan. 3, 1932, in Buffalo, to Thomas Douglas Jones and Mary Agnes Cassidy (both of Blue Mountain Lake) she was educated in schools in Watertown, New York City and graduated in the Indian Lake Central School Class of 1950, serving as either president or vice president of the class for four years. She graduated from Potsdam State Teachers College in 1954, and began her teaching career as grades 7 through 9 English and social studies teacher at Ballston Spa Central School. On Dec. 27, 1955, she married David G. Curry at St. Paul's Church in Blue Mountain Lake. This union resulted in 32 years of marriage, Dave died on Aug. 10, 1988, and four children: Kathleen, Karin, Ellen and David Sean Curry. Orpha's life was dedicated to teaching. She spent two years at Ballston Spa, one year at Newcomb Central School and 32 years at Indian Lake Central School. Upon her retirement from ILCS, she spent 15 years as an associate professor of Dev. English at Herkimer County Community College. Among her many accomplishments while at Indian Lake Central School, she instituted the National Honor Society Holiday Toy/Food Drives, Little Red Schoolhouse, Answers Please, Presidential Classroom and Natural History Day with her students taking state and national honors. She served as lifeguard, swimming instructor for the Red Cross and helped to found Hamilton County Cooperative Extension, 4-H and the Blue Mountain Ambulance Corps. Her hobbies included singing, playing the organ for St. Paul's Catholic Church and showing her champion collie dogs, writing for collie magazines and being an AKC collie judge. She was recently honored with the title AKC Judge Emeritus. While at Potsdam, Orpha sang with the Crane Chorus and the famous Robert Shaw. She was also active on the debating team, editor of the school newspaper, member of Kappa Delta Pi, served as president of the Mock Senate in Albany and the International Relations Club. Orpha was active in politics, serving as Democratic Committeeman. While at HCCC, she was an Adirondack Storyteller and served on various community projects. Her many trips to Europe included visiting Marian Shrines at Medugorje, Lourdes, Fatima and Knock. She was a dedicated mother, teacher and community person whose priorities were her faith and family. She is survived by three daughters: Kathleen M. Curry of Herkimer, Karin E. Curry of Tupper Lake and Ellen Ann Curry of Herkimer; one son, David Sean Curry of Blue Mountain Lake; two sisters, Mary Ellard and her husband, Harry, of Lake City, Fla. and Delores Strobeck and her husband, Robert, of Delanson; one brother, Martin Jones of Utica and many nieces, nephews and cousins. Friends may call today, Nov. 16, from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at the Miller Funeral Home, 35 West Main St., Indian Lake. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 17, at St. Paul's Catholic Church, Blue Mountain Lake, with the Rev. Sony Pulickal, pastor, officiating. The Rite of Committal will follow in Blue Mountain Lake Cemetery. Contributions in Orpha's memory may be directed to the Orpha Curry Education Scholarship Fund, c/o Citizens Bank, P.O. Box 65, North Creek, NY 12853 or St. Paul's Catholic Church, Blue Mountain Lake, NY 12812.

This obituary was originally published in the Post Star.