Wallace Chapman Curry

Wallace ‘Wally’ Chapman Curry passed away on July 18, 2023, at 100 years old. He is survived by his daughter, Barbara Mastranunzio, and son, James Curry, son, David Curry, and daughter-in-law Emmie; granddaughters, Jill and husband Dave, Linsay, Alexis and partner Jeff, and Alena and partner Evan; grandsons, Drew and wife Karli, Tyler, and Alexander and fiancée Hannah; great-granddaughters Hailey, Madelyn, Marissa, Anita, Abigail, and great-grandson Grayson; several nieces and nephews and friend Linda Boryk.

Wally was born December 26, 1922, in Philadelphia, Pa., and raised in Philadelphia and Coudersport, Pa. As a youngster he was a baseball nut, playing every summer day with hand-me-down equipment and mended bats. A free trolley ride with a transfer led him to Shibe Park where he watched the Athletics. One day Jimmy Foxx hit the “hardest” ball Wally had ever seen, a line drive home run that “was still going up” when it hit the seats 405 feet from home plate. He was a Phillies fan for 92 years and was honored as a fan and veteran by the Phillies during the August 31, 2019, game against the NY Mets at Citizens Bank Park.

Wally left college to enlist in the Army in December 1942, just before his 20th birthday. In July 1943, he completed Officers Candidate School at Fort Belvoir, Va. Shipping off to Europe in January 1944, Wally’s 346th Engineer Regiment was active in five different campaigns in the European Theater of Operations. While still stationed in Germany after the war, Wally pitched a no-hitter for his regimental baseball team.

Upon returning home, while riding a bus to Reading, Pa., Wally met the love of his life and mother to his three children, nursing student, Dorothy Mae Downes. They settled in Downingtown, Pa., where Wally joined his father in the textile business. After the textile business moved south, Wally joined Pepperidge Farm Baking Company where he became the production manager who brought the first production line of Goldfish to the U.S.

A billion or more goldfish and cookies and brand-new baking plants in Utah and Ohio and numerous consulting assignments later, Wally retired with Dot to Fairfield Harbour, New Bern, N.C. A lifelong athlete Wally said he had “died and gone to heaven” and “it doesn’t get any better than this” as he could play golf any day of the week and travel at will. Funny, Dot got her hole in one first and became lady’s club champ, but Wally practiced and finally made his hole in one and became club champion a few years later. Wally was pleased to let the golfers in his family know that he shot his age at 79.

Wally’s Memorial Service will be at Centenary Methodist Church in New Bern, N.C. on Sunday October 8, 2023 at 3:00 pm. A Celebration of Life will follow at 5:00 pm at the Fairfield Harbour Community Center. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Wounded Warriors, or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, or a charity of your choice.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.cottenfuneralhome.com for the Curry family.