Contributed by Victoria Day-Cook
email: PieOhNear@aol.com

November 19, 1987

Funeral services for well-known businessman and community leader Dewey 
Frederick Curry, 88, 310 S. Oak, Chandler, were held at 2 p.m. Tuesday Nov. 
17, 1987 in the United methodist Church in Chandler.

The Rev. Guy Langston, church pastor, officiated, assisted by the Rev. John 
Deller. Burial was in the Oak Park Cemetery at Chandler.

Mr. Curry, a longtime funeral director, died Saturday November 14 in an 
Oklahoma City hospital.

He was born Dec. 29, 1898, near Stillwater, the son of Lewis W. and Celestia 
L. (Dewey) Curry. he moved at age 1 with his parents to Lincoln County and 
settled on a farm in the Deer Creek community south of Stroud. He attended 
the Deer Creek School and, when the family moved into town, completed his 
education in Stroud, graduating from SHS in 1918.

He then attended the University of Oklahoma in Norman for a time where he 
also was assistant director of the OU Band. That same year, he joined the U. 
S. Army, serving during World War I.

In 1919, he returned to his hometown of Stroud, taking a teaching job at the 
rural Ravendale School several miles north of Stroud in the northeast corner 
of the county. Mr. Curry went to work at First National Bank in Stroud in 
1920, then moved to Durant in 1922 where he began work with his brother in 
the hardware, furniture and undertaking business.

He moved to Fairfax in 1925 to continue his work. There, he met Eva E. Hayes 
and they were married Easter Sunday, April 4, 1926 at Hobart, Okla.

While working with the Hunsacker Funeral Home, Curry obtained a license as an 
embalmer and funeral director.

In 1929, the Currys moved to Drumright where he entered a partnership with 
his brother. He then settled in the funeral service business, eventually 
owning his home business in Erick in western Oklahoma.

The Currys moved to Chandler in March, 1932, and he was employed as a funeral 
director for the Gaymon-Sutton-Downing Hardware, Furniture & Undertaking Co. 
Soon after, he bought the Chandler News-Publicist, a weekly newspaper, where 
he served as publisher and his wife was editor. Following a series of 
purchases in the partnership, the Currys eventually became sole owners of 
Curry Hardware & Furniture Store in 1934. Mrs. Curry was also appointed to 
serve as postmaster in Chandler, a post she held for many years.

Mr. Curry built the first funeral home, as such, in Lincoln County. By 1950, 
the family had obtained ownership of chapels in Wellston and Meeker, later 
purchasing McVey Funeral Home in Stroud, and incorporating each into the 
business. The Curry family recently sold the funeral homes to the Parks 
Brothers organization from Prague and Okemah. They had earlier sold their 
newspaper to Donald Ferrell.

Mr. Curry was an active member in the First United Methodist Church in 
Chandler where he taught Sunday School and served on the church 
administrative board. He was also a certified lay speaker in the Methodist 
Church and enjoyed speaking in many congregations across the county, 
regardless of religious affiliation.

Among his many activities, Mr. Curry was a 32nd degree Mason, being a 
longtime member of the Chandler A.F. & A.M. Lodge. he was also a past 
commander of the Chandler American Legion Post, was a charter member and 
former president of the Chandler Rotary Club, was a past worthy patron of the 
Chandler Order of the Eastern Star Chapter, and was also a past commander of 
the Veterans of World War I, Lincoln County Barracks.

He was a member of the Chandler Chamber of Commerce, past president of the 
Scottish Rite Society, a past executive director of the Inspiration Point 
Fine Arts Academy near Eureka Springs, and was a past president of Lincoln 
County Singing Convention.

He was named an honorary Arkansas Traveler by Gov. Winthrop Rockefeller.

Preceding him in death were five brothers and four sisters.

Surviving are his wife, Eva Curry, of the home in Chandler; two daughters and 
one son-in-law, Jo Ann Appleby, Colleen and Keith Schroeder, all of Chandler; 
three sisters, Lucille Kornman, Drumright, Bertha Arnold, Stroud, and Alma 
Hinds, Okla. City.

Also surviving are four grandchildren, Dianne Morgan, Madison, N. J., Gary 
Schroeder, Chandler, Laine Schroeder, Edmond, and David Appleby, Denton, 
Tex.; and three great-grandchildren.

Curry-Parks Brothers Funeral Home, Chandler, had charge of service 
arrangements.