Barbara A. McMurray

Barbara Alisa McMurray of Alexandria, Virginia Born to William and Barbara McMurray, Asheville, North Carolina, September 7, 1953. Barbara’s final moment, minutes before midnight, July 29, 2019, was filled with full, slow breath, at home with her husband at her side. For many years, Barbara outpaced Alzheimer’s disease, speaking and smiling until some few days before the end. She is survived by her husband, Michael Curtis; her siblings, Lori & Richard Kelley, and Robin Haynes; Matt & Kim Curtis, Stacie & Van McWilliams, and Jeff Curtis; step-children, Amaron Curtis & fiancé Shannon Gerken, Jonathan & Marianne Curtis; grandchildren, Christian, Layla, James, Alesia, Patrick, Charles; many beloved cousins, nieces and nephews. Allison McMurray, Barbara’s sister, and Tammie Curtis, Barbara’s sister-in-law, preceded her along the way to heaven. Early, Barbara began her travels, following her parents through brief stationing at Shalimar, Florida and Bangor, Maine before settling in Cary, North Carolina, where, in 1971, she graduated from Cary High School. From there, a brief distance down the road to North Carolina State University, here, four years later, Barbara achieved a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Soon, at 24, Barbara would lead American tourists behind the USSR, iron curtain, an adventure which began a 37-year career in international business: the Africa-Asia territory of a trade publication; Director, Export Assistance, Leather Industries of America; Vice-President, International Trade, Valve Manufacturers of America; program management for the US Department of Agriculture, et cetera, with experience in over 60 countries, including years in South Africa. Returning to the United States, in 1993 Barbara was appointed Director of The Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise, a division of the University of North Carolina’s Business School; in 2000, she became a Vice-President of the National Association of Home Builders, among the largest US trade associations, and from 2007 until 2011 Barbara served as Senior Vice-President, responsible for directing four divisions of the 200,000 member association. Then, until 2015, Barbara McMurray was Chief Executive Officer of the International Housing Coalition. During her career, Barbara increased US Exports, grew international cooperation, and was honored with many awards and recognitions. Career highlights include, all-night drinking with dancers of the Bolshoi; bribing her way out of Venezuela during a coup; saving a Cessna from crashing in the Andes (the pilot was incapacitated in tears); flying over Hungary in a plane full of goats; meeting with Heads of State, dignitaries, diplomats and suave businessmen; negotiating the release of hard currency from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe; requiring armed escort in several countries; concluding in Berlin a German-American trade association agreement while outside her window the Berlin Wall came down; and, attending one, but only one, bullfight. In retirement, Barbara, “BB”, had leisure to enjoy her Belle Haven neighbors, her large family and very many friends, to travel with her husband and precious poodles, Lucy and Maggie, to farms and ranches and rivers and mountains, and to the ocean, her favorite place. Barbara was a patriot with a deep commitment to good and right; she loved deeply, and made it known with cards, calls, and little gifts; her eyes sparkled when she smiled; when she spoke, the South’s gentility lingered, lightly; her humor was full, innocent yet worldly; she knew what to wear, what to say, she had a sense of fashion which allowed an easy movement around the world, through a room, person to person with love and consideration. We might expect, that when in heaven, BB will have met most everyone and will warmly introduce each of us to all around. God love you, Barbara McMurray.