Jimmy Lee Curry

Jimmy Lee Curry, 83, of Waco, passed away on Saturday, July 6, 2019. Graveside services will be held at Waco Memorial Park at 10:00 am on July 12, 2019. The family will receive friends from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Thursday, July 11th at Connally/Compton Funeral Directors. Jimmy was born on April 12, 1936 in Waco, Texas to Jewel and Willie Brewer Curry. Jimmy attended schools in both Corsicanna and Waco, as well as Durham Business College. Jimmy developed his work ethic early in life starting at age 10 cleaning tables at a local restaurant in Corsicana, Texas. He later became manager at Harrell's Gas Station on LaSalle Ave at the age of 18. In 1960, he began working in the warehouse of Gibson's Discount Center and through hard work and determination became the youngest buyer for all 14 stores. Jimmy traveled all over the US to various trade shows and was the first buyer to put in the order for Star Wars toys in Waco. He retired from Gibson's after 28 years and continued to pursue a love of woodworking where he taught himself to make children's furniture for Head Start, Day Care Centers and even planters for florists Texas wide. Jimmy fell in love at first-site to Joyce Ann Hammer in March 1954. After their first date, he made sure she never got away, since he followed her on several dates after that. Realizing Jimmy was not going to give up, she said yes! They were married in Waco on September 10, 1954 at the Nix family home with friends and family smiling beside them. Their honeymoon was in New Orleans and they were under strict orders from the family not to go to Bourbon Street, which just happened to be the first place they visited! They returned to New Orleans early in 1955 where Joyce asked Jimmy to find a place to order a BLT. The story goes that Jimmy went in to a local restaurant to order one and 45 minutes later Joyce went looking for him. It turns out the chef had never heard of a BLT and refused to make one for a customer until he made and ate one himself. He loved it so much he put it on the menu! Jimmy enjoyed the life God gave him in everything he did. His love of hunting took him to Colorado where he flew on a small plane with several friends and local businessmen. They were going Moose hunting, the only trouble with the trip was that Jimmy had to hold his door closed since the door latch didn't work. He said it was worth it, since he got to hunt with the late movie legend Dale Robertson. He also hunted for pheasant in Nebraska and white tail dove in Mexico. Another joy was fishing all over Texas. He loved to tell the story of teaching a friend to cast in Port Arkansas where during one of his lessons, his friend missed the water and hooked a big one, right on the top of Jimmy's head! A guide just happened to drive by with other fishermen and wanted to make sure all was good and Jimmy being the layed-back gentlemen said "sure". The guide mentioned that was great and as he was about to drive off asked Jimmy, "what about the lure stuck in the top of your head?" At the hospital the nurse had to stand on the gurney to reach the lure to remove it. All Jimmy cared about was making sure he didn't lose the lure! Motorcycles were another passion of his. At one point he convinced Joyce that they really needed all 11 at one time! Jimmy and Joyce road all over the lower 48 and even made it to Pike's Peak when it was a gravel road! They enjoyed riding every weekend through Cameron Park, Lake Waco and loading up for the dirt tracks at Lake Whitney, Prairie Hill and Ogelsby just to name a few. Jimmy's greatest love though, was Joyce. If ever a man considered his vows to be set in stone, it was Jimmy Curry. His sole purpose was to love, honor, cherish and protect Joyce. He spent 65 years being her lover and best friend, just the way God intended. Joyce returned that love in how she cared for this great man. It was a well-known fact that every time Jimmy had an illness that required changes, she made sure he followed them to the letter, except on holidays! Joyce's cooking is well known to the Curry family and friends and Jimmy's love of it had its own reputation. He was famous for stealing an extra cookie at Christmas only to get caught because he forgot to wipe the chocolate off his mouth or shake the powdered sugar off of his shirt. He complained the cookie jars were just too noisy! He was a charter member of the Waco Gun Club where he won numerous trophies for skeet shooting. He was also a member of the Baylor Masonic Lodge. He is preceded in death by his parents and sisters, Billie Pearl Reese and Shirley Jean Millsap. He is survived by his wife Joyce Ann Curry of Waco; sons Randy Curry and wife Patti of Bosqueville and Ricky Curry and wife Amanda of Waco; Brother John Curry and wife Beth of Forney and sister Bonnie Crelia of Hewitt; Grandsons Chris Curry and wife Lindsey of Harker Heights, Chance Curry of Waco, Cameron Curry and wife Kaelyn of Waco, Corbett Curry and wife Alejandra of Waco, Connor Curry of Waco and Matt Neckar of Bosqueville; Granddaughters Candice Curry of Waco, Paige Lundy and husband Jeff of Hewitt, and Shelby Hawes and husband RC of Austin; Great-grandchildren, Colton, Chase, Cooper, Charlie, Cydney and Ezekeil as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. The family wishes to thank everyone at St. Anthony's and Providence Hospital ICU and 4th floor nurses, aides, doctors and staff. They all took such good care of Jimmy and made us feel that he was part of their family and not just a patient. Serving as pallbearers for "Pepa" will be his grandsons and honorary pallbearers will be his granddaughters. Psalm 127 says,"Unless the Lord builds the house, the builder labor in vain." Jimmy did not labor in vain and we will miss him dearly.