Durwood Curling

Durwood S. Curling CHESAPEAKE - Durwood Stewart Curling, 76, of the 300 block of Constance Drive, passed away Thursday, Aug. 5, 2010. Born in Old Norfolk County, he was the son of the late John DeBaun Curling and Rosa Lee Stewart Curling and was predeceased by daughters, Virginia Parham Curling, Carlos Stone Curling and Michelle DeBaun Curling. In early years, Durwood worked for the Tennessee State Planning Commission in Johnson City until he went on active duty in the U.S. Army. Following his Army tour, he went to Chapel Hill, N.C., where he was accepted into the University of North Carolina graduate program for city planning. After working for the state of North Carolina, he returned home, becoming Chesapeake's first director of Planning and later appointed as city manager. For the next 20 years, he served as executive director of the Southeastern Public Service Authority (SPSA) of Virginia. During his tenure, Mr. Curling served as president of the Solid Waste Association of North America while leading SPSA to numerous national and international awards. Participation in numerous civic activities include: charter member, elder and deacon in Great Bridge Presbyterian Church, former member of the Board of Directors at Bank of Hampton Roads, the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of the Great Bridge Battlefield and Waterways Foundation, past president of Future Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Jubilee Inc. He was also a past chairman of the Board for the United Way of South Hampton Roads, Elizabeth River District Boy Scouts of America, Southeastern VA Planning District Commission, Metropolitan Planning Organization and Friends of Chesapeake Parks to name a few. Left to cherish his memory are his loving wife of 54 years, Virginia Stone "Ginger" Curling; a daughter, Sharon Curling Lessard and husband Rene; a son, Lee Stewart Curling and wife Amy; grandchildren, Virginia Louise Lessard, Kellan Lee Lessard, Jared Stewart Curling and Ian William Curling; two brothers, W. Ray Curling and wife Louise, John Beverly Curling and wife Joan; a sister, Doris Curling Morse; an aunt, Mary Curling Gammon; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and a large extended family. The funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m., Monday, Aug. 9, at Great Bridge Presbyterian Church, 333 Cedar Road, Chesapeake. The Rev. Tom Mercer will officiate. The interment will follow in Chesapeake Memorial Gardens. The viewing will begin on Sunday with the family receiving friends from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Great Bridge Chapel of Oman Funeral Home & Crematory, 653 Cedar Road, Chesapeake. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Great Bridge Battlefield and Waterways Foundation (GBB&WHF), P.O. Box 15425, Chesapeake, VA 23328 or to Great Bridge Presbyterian Church, 333 Cedar Road, Chesapeake, VA 23322. Friends are invited to sign the online guest book at www.omanfh.com.