CURLEY, Charles D. Jr. "Choo Choo," Major Infantry (Ret.), Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor, died December 11, 2009. Charles was born in Richmond on September 3, 1921, to Anna Powers and Charles D. Curley. After graduating from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1940, he worked on a number of construction projects including Camp Lee, Va., a street paving contractor in Richmond, the Bridge Department Seaboard Air Line Railroad and the building of the Navy Railroad to Dahlgren. He was drafted into the Army in December 1942, attended the Infantry Candidate School at Ft. Benning, Ga., commissioned as a 2nd Lt. July 1943. He trained with the 97th Infantry Division Louisiana Maneuvers and was sent overseas April 1944 and assigned as a Rifle Platoon Leader, 38th Infantry, 2nd Infantry Division. He served in Normandy, Brittany, Central Europe, The "Bulge," Germany and on into Czechoslovakia. After the war he served in the 80th Infantry Reserve Division and retired as Deputy Chief of Staff as a Major after serving 24 years. He was a member of St. Benedict's Catholic Church where he has served as an usher for over 20 years. He was a volunteer at St. Mary's Hospital and served on the Board of Directors of St. Francis Home. He retired from Kjellstrom & Lee, Inc., General Contractors, where he was a Vice President and Superintendent. He was superintendent on the construction of many well-known buildings in Richmond such as the Lexington Tower Apts., C&P Office buildings, Sanger Hall addition, Richmond Eye & Ear Hospital, Westminster Canterbury Health Wing. His last work before retiring was a plant for Wella Corp. and A. H. Robbins addition. He was predeceased by his wife of 58 years, Jane; brother, David; sisters, Anne and Theresa. He is survived by his children, Carolyn Butler (Pat), of Colorado, Aelise Noonan (Tony), Charles III, Catherine Murphy (Gee), all of Richmond, and Lucy Swingle (Mark), of Virginia Beach; grandchildren, Philip, Yvonne, Jane, Charlie, Lucas and Colleen; and two great-grandchildren, Devon and Brooks; brother, Philip (Betty Ann); sisters, Margaret Raymond (Joe), Patricia Glass (Ben), Joan Cockey and Jack Kerner (brother-in-law). Charles is survived by many wonderful nieces, nephews and friends here and throughout Europe. The family will receive friends from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, December 13, at Bliley's -Central, 3801 Augusta Ave., with a Christian Wake at 4 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 12 noon Monday at St. Benedict's Catholic Church. Burial to follow at Mt. Calvary Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Benedict's Catholic Church, 300 N. Sheppard St., Richmond, Va. 23221.
This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.