Henry Anthony Curran

Henry Anthony Curran
April 28,1947 to November19 ,2025
Peoria Il.

Henry Curran passed away at Proctor Place with his wife at his side and surrounded by love of his family.
Henry was born in Ann Arbor Michigan in 1947 to John Francis Curran and Catherine M. Curran. His father's death when he was just 18 changed the course of his life, putting his education plans on hold, to raise and support his younger brother and care for his mother. After 10 years of service at the University of Michigan hospital he returned to his studies completing
his undergraduate degree at Eastern Michigan University in 1974 and a MA in History at Wayne State University in 1977.

Henry moved to Toledo Ohio working in a variety of roles in managed care and HMOs. He moved to Peoria in 1980 and continued to bring together his education, interest in history government and experience in health care management at Midstate foundation for medical care

In the spring of 1983, he met his future wife and neighbor Sandy Meskimen. They married in 1986 and Henry embraced her five children as his own.
Relocating to St Louis in 1989, Henry continued his career with a challenging position at Correctional Medical Systems. Five years later he began a fulfilling job at Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan. This position was well suited to Henry's history of health care management, knowledge about government, history, public policy, and political issues. He retired in 2009 as Director of MCHCP with a sense of accomplishment that he contributed to the welfare of the people he served

Henry was a gifted photographer with a remarkable eye. His photographs ranged from individual, and group photos of family and friends, capturing family moments, beautifully composed travel landscape photos, and on occasion photos with his office staff.

He was also an exceptional travel planner. Some of Henry and Sandy's first trips were to PEI where Henry's parents were born. He still has family in PEI. He remained connected to his family and his Irish heritage became increasingly clearer. He has extended family in PEI, Boston, Baltimore and particularly Ann Arbor where he was born who loved him, whom he loved and served as a basis for a new family. Henry and Sandy also traveled abroad and in the US. In 1988, they took the trip of a lifetime. They bicycled for 6 weeks cycling out of the airport in Brussels, onto the UK seeing the Cliffs of Dover, a ferry to Normandy then eventually back to Paris then Brussels to fly home. They continued their travels as they could break away from work to Cornwall, Italy, New Zealand, and other places, cycling and hiking.
Because of Henrys love of travel, hiking, cycling, before he retired he launched a successful business - Independent Tourist - setting up cycling trips in Missouri, Wisconsin, and PEI.


Besides traveling, Henry's other passion was his love for his dogs. He trained them, looked out for them, and loved them with a happy heart.

Henry and Sandy returned to Peoria in 2011 to be with their family after both had retired and rejoined the Universalist Unitarian church. Henry was preceded in death by his parents and brother John Curran. He is survived by his wife Sandy, five stepchildren Dan (Kathy) Meskimen, Patty (Mark) Avery, Peggy Grace, Molly Markum, and Becky (Mark) Hopkins, eleven grandchildren, Alan, Trisha, Mathew, Christopher, Joseph, Andrew, Rachel, Bryce, Jacob, Benjamin, Kelly and 15 great grandchildren. Henry also leaves behind his extended families including his godparents, Jean Crawford and Joseph Braman, his nephew John Yax and his great nephew, Cole.

The memorial service will be held at the Universalist Unitarian church on December 13, the visitation from 10:15 to 11AM, the service at 11, and a light lunch at noon. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Doctors without Borders or The Universalist Unitarian Church.