Elizabeth Curlin

1936 - 2025

Elizabeth Curlin

September 10, 1936 - June 4, 2025

Frankfort, Kentucky - Elizabeth "Beth" Richardson Curlin, of Versailles, Ky. passed away on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. She was born September 10, 1936, to Joel Whitten Richardson and Dorothy Rowden Richardson in Signal Mountain, TN. She is preceded in death by her husband, William Prather Curlin, Jr., and her grandson, Allen Prather Williams. She is survived by a brother, Joel W. Richardson of Chattanooga, TN; children, William Prather (Tammara) Curlin, III, Caroline (Bryce Taylor) Curlin, Margaret (Richard) Burke, and Dorothy (William) Mathews; grandchildren Anna Curlin, William Thomas Curlin, Celeste Taylor, Bethany Taylor, Rachel Taylor, William (Ellen Wetherill) Burke, Elizabeth Burke, Philip Burke, Hannah (Tre) Downing; and a great-grandson, George Prather Downing.

Beth graduated from Girls Preparatory School in Chattanooga, TN and earned a bachelor's degree from Hollins College. She attended the University of Kentucky for her Master's Degree in Psychology, where she trained chimpanzees for the space program. It was here that she met her future husband, an aspiring young law student named Bill Curlin.

A woman of many talents, Beth was an avid golfer, a gourmet cook, and an accomplished equestrian. Beth began playing golf with her father and brother in Chattanooga at a young age, and continued playing competitively into her late 70's. She won the Kentucky Senior Women's championship 11 times between 1988 and 2009. Her home course was the Frankfort Country Club, where she won the Club Championship 35 times. Some other highlights of her golfing career include winning the Marion Miley Golf Invitational in 1992, placing seventh overall (seconded in her age group) in the USGA Senior-Am Tournament in 1996, winning the Capital Classic Invitational seven times, and was the Southern Golf Association Super Senior Champion in 2006, 2007, and 2008.

She took up riding in her 40's and began to compete in three-day eventing and dressage. In dressage, she won the National Championship Second Level in 2001 on Pebble Beach, a horse she bred, foaled and trained. She was president of Equestrian Events International for three years, including the inaugural World Eventing Championships in Kentucky in 1978. She also devoted many early morning hours to fox hunting with the Iroquois Hunt Club and Woodford Hounds.

Beth was an accomplished entertainer and hostess who was famous for her French bread and Danish pastries. Beth took particular pleasure in passing along her talent for pastries, as well as golf and riding skills to many of her children and grandchildren.

She and her husband Bill were members of Keeneland, enjoyed travelling extensively and attended the Lexington Philharmonic regularly. She was a member of New Union Christian Church until her husband's passing after which she attended South Frankfort Presbyterian Church with her son Will and his family.

A Memorial Service will be held at South Frankfort Presbyterian Church on Monday, June 9, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. with Rev. Steven Pace officiating. Visitation will be from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. on Monday.

The family would like to thank HomePlace of Midway for their care and attention in her last days.

In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made to Central Kentucky Riding for Hope, https://ckrh.org/

Arrangements are under the direction of Harrod Brothers Funeral Home & Crematory. Condolences may be shared via the online guestbook at www.harrodbrothers.com