Robert Edward Curry

September 19, 1930 - September 15, 2020

Robert Edward Curry died Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020, at Lakeview Terrace Skilled Nursing Facility in Altoona, Florida. He was 89. Mr. Curry was born in Baylis, Illinois, on Sept. 19, 1930, to Laurence E. and Emily Ellen Curry. A long-time resident of Bokeelia, Florida, he and his wife, Shirley, moved to Lakeview Terrace in 2018. He is survived by Shirley Curry, his loving wife of 68 years, of Altoona; his children, Robert Curry Jr. (Melissa) of Eustis, Florida; Susan Hunt (Joel) of Greenville, Alabama; Marcena Delgado (David) of Cameron, North Carolina; and John Curry (Patty) of Augusta, Georgia; 10 grandchildren and step-grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and two great-great grandchildren. He was a veteran of the United States Navy, serving from 1950 to 1954 as an aviation electronics technician aboard three aircraft carriers. Following his honorable discharge from military service, Mr. Curry attended college on the GI Bill, graduating from Western Illinois State Teacher’s College (now Western Illinois University) with a bachelor’s degree in education. He later obtained a master’s degree in education from Nova University in Fort Lauderdale. In 1963, Mr. and Mrs. Curry and their family moved to Fort Myers, Florida, where Mr. Curry began a long and distinguished career as an educator. He taught math at Lee Junior High, Alva High School, Riverdale High School, and North Fort Myers High School. Mr. Curry also touched the lives of countless young people through sports. While he coached all high school sports, his favorite was basketball. He was the original basketball coach at Riverdale High School, starting in 1971. During his time coaching at Riverdale, he was honored as the All-Southwest Florida Coach of the Year. He retired from education in 1989. Known to all his grandchildren and great-grandchildren as “Papa,” he loved the outdoors and was an avid gardener and fisherman. He was a life-long Chicago Cubs fan and was thrilled that they won the World Series during his lifetime. A Funeral Service for Mr. Curry will be celebrated by Pastor Graham Stein at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, September 23, 2020 inside the Chapel at Fort Myers Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, 1589 Colonial Boulevard, Fort Myers, Florida 33907, (239) 936-0555. Guests will be received for Visitation for an hour preceding this ceremony beginning at 10:00 AM also inside the funeral home chapel. At the conclusion of these services, family and friends will recess to adjacent Memorial Gardens Cemetery where Mr. Curry will receive Military Honors provided by the United States Navy and thereafter be laid to rest inside the Mausoleum located at the Garden of Peace. To share a story or photo, leave a tribute or to offer condolences to the family at this difficult time please visit Mr. Curry's memorial webpage located at www.fortmyersmemorial.com and sign his guestbook. To view the streamed funeral service, please click the following link or copy and paste into your browser: https://viewneral.zoom.us/j/96046171612?pwd=VzJ0SFVEYzJsTEJyUW9NNy9VSy9hdz09 Password: 405233