Samuel A. Curcio

Samuel A. Curcio

AGE: 95 • Hammonton

Curcio, Samuel A., age 95, of Hammonton, passed away on Monday, August 17 at the New Jersey Veterans' Home, Vineland. Born and raised on a peach farm in Hammonton, Sam graduated from Hammonton High School in 1936. He received a B.S. degree in Education from Glassboro State Teachers' College (now Rowan University) in 1941. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps and rose to the rank of major. Throughout World War II, he served in the China-Burma-India theatre, overseeing the construction of air fields. He was honorably discharged in 1945. After the war, Sam attended the University of Michigan Law School. He received his Juris Doctor degree in 1948, and he returned to Hammonton to practice law. Mr. Curcio held several political offices and was involved in many civic organizations. He was elected to the Hammonton Board of Education in 1953. In the 1950s, he served as Hammonton's municipal judge. In 1967 he was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly on a ticket headed by Senator Frank "Hap" Farley. He was the first Hammonton resident to be elected to the state legislature since 1907. As a legislator, he was instrumental in bringing Stockton State College to Atlantic County. Sam served four years in the state assembly and several years as the solicitor of the Atlantic County Board of Freeholders. He was a longtime member of the Atlantic County Republican Committee, the Hammonton Republican Club, the American Legion, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He was named a distinguished alumnus of Rowan University. Mr. Curcio loved sports and worked to promote youth sports in the community.

He was a coach in the Hammonton Little League for many years. He was the first president of the St. Joseph High School Booster Club. He briefly coached the St. Joseph High School baseball team. For many years, he was the official scorekeeper for the St. Joseph basketball team, and he filmed games for St. Joseph Wildcats football and the Hammonton Hawks. Besides athletics, his hobbies included gardening and woodworking.

Sam was predeceased by his parents, Frank and Catherine Curcio, his sister Susan, and his brothers Joseph, Nunzio, Frank, and Anthony (Turk). He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Lucy (nee Ezzi), three sons Samuel Jr. (Donna), James (Jessica), and Richard (Jean), all of Hammonton, one daughter, Susan (Donald Parker) of Sweetwater, and one sister, Jeanne Pelle of Haddonfield. Eleven grandchildren: Jessica Parker Martin, Matthew Parker, Samuel W. Curcio, Gregory Parker, Elena Parker, Charles Curcio, John Curcio, Timothy Curcio, Daniel Curcio, Neil Curcio, and Luke Curcio, and eight great grandchildren.

Friends and family are invited to attend his viewing on Sunday August 23 from 6-9 pm and on Monday August 24 from 8:30-9:30 am all at the Marinella Funeral Home 102 N. 3rd St. Hammonton, NJ. A mass of Christian burial will be held Monday, August 24 at 10 am at St. Mary of Mt. Carmel Parish - St. Joseph Church 3rd & French Streets Hammonton, NJ. Burial will follow at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery 124 S. First Rd. Hammonton, NJ. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Samuel A. Curcio Memorial Scholarship Fund, 746 Virginia Avenue, Hammonton, NJ 08037. www.marinellafuneralhome.com