REEDVILLE—John Joshua Curry Sr. (aka “Josh,” “Karo,” “Big John,” and “Cur”), the fourth of five children, was born on February 19, 1930, to Roland and Alice Curry in Burgess. Our heavenly father gently whispered his name on July 4, 2020, at MCV Hospital.
He graduated from Rosenwald High School in 1949, excelling in academics and athletics. In May 1951, he married Alease Harcum. From this union, six children were born: Mary Alice, John Jr. (Marion), Anita (Jerome), Gilda (Tim), Tilda (Robert) and Alease (Ronnie). Shortly after marriage, he left for the Korean War, serving from August 1951 – August 1953. While serving in the U.S. Army, Josh became a skilled barber and mechanic. Those talents, as well as others, were maximized when he returned to the states.
He opened his own business, Dew Drop Inn, the community hub, with one barber chair, a jukebox and a pool table. He became a licensed contractor (certified in electrical and plumbing), a fisherman, farmer, welder and landlord. He was just “THE MAN,” a family man and community man. He genuinely loved helping people. It did not matter if you could not pay, would not pay or did not pay. He never had anything negative to say about anything or anybody. If something didn’t sit well with him, he would lean his big head to left, point up to heaven letting you know, “God got it.”
He truly loved the Lord and Shiloh. He was baptized at the age of 9 at Taylors Beach. He served his church faithfully. He was a member of numerous choirs and on Tuesday nights if you wanted to find him, all you had to do was go to Shiloh’s Bible Study. He was also chaplain and a devoted member of the American Legion Post 117 in Reedville.
If you knew him, you knew his guiding scripture was Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding.” You could also catch him playing his guitar (Lucille) and singing one of these two songs, “Jesus is on the mainline, tell him what you want” and “Face to Face.” Well, you don’t have to call him up now, daddy, because we know you see him “Face to Face.”
He was predeceased by his parents; three siblings; Nelson, Pernell and Florence; his wife, Alease; and daughter, Mary Alice.
He leaves to cherish his memories, his children; one sister, Elizabeth Hawkins of Baltimore; 10 grandchildren, Danny, Sean (Dawn), Kyle (Kara), Jemita, Jerome Jr. (Shana), Jonathan (Kaitlin), Eric, Leslie, Ashley (Erlyn) and Kaitlin; six great-grandchildren, Rondel, Cole, Austin, Elijah, Roman and Raelyn; two great-great-grandchildren, Rylee and Tristin; and a very, very special friend, Ms. Eloise Toulson; as well as a host of wonderful nieces and nephews and an entire community.
He is defined as a true hero, for he was admired for his achievements and noble qualities. He epitomized Proverbs 27:2, “Let someone else praise you, not your own mouth;—a stranger and not your own lips.”
A service was held Friday, July 10, at Shiloh Baptist Church with interment in the church cemetery.
Campbell Funeral Home of Kilmarnock handled the arrangements.
