John Arthur Curran

John Arthur Curran – devoted husband, father, grandfather, and friend -- passed peacefully at home with his family on January 02, 2021. Born on May 22, 1924 to John and Catherine Tighe Curran in Brooklyn New York, John was the second of five children who along with his beloved wife Helen Carro Curran, preceded him in death. He is survived by his two sons his daughter and their families inclusive of 8 grandchildren and numerous loving nieces and nephews. After graduating early from high school, John joined the Army Air-Corps and spent 3 years in the South Pacific. Having an outstanding capacity for electronic engineering, he was among those individuals who pioneered commercial radar after the war. He re-joined the Air Force and married his lifetime sweetheart Helen Carro and settled in northern Virginia. He was eventually solicited to leave the armed services and work for the Civilian Aviation Agency (CAA) where he continued to develop the moving target radar system that prevailed from the early 1950’s until recently. He and Helen started a family (2 sons and a daughter) and he moved into management when the CAA became the Federal Aviation Administration in 1956. In 1962, John became the head of all airway facilities at a new type of airport designed to accommodate both international and domestic flights, Dulles International Airport. Until he retired in 1980, John made significant technical and personnel innovations that were extended to the rest of America’s airports. By the late Sixties, he was put in charge of the eastern seaboard microwave link system and helped install a British designed ground zero instrument landing technology at Dulles that has been in use since then by all major airports in the country. In addition, John oversaw the first flights of supersonic passenger jets into America from Europe as well as establishing a Toastmaster International Chapter at Dulles and creating an innovative system for training Airway Facility managers throughout the country to excel at public speaking. Both he and Helen were leaders at work, in their community and at home. Their home was filled with laughter and music and they left many endearing memories to family, friends, relatives, neighbors and their children’s many friends. John and Helen were members of Chantilly National Country Club for more than 50 years and in addition to their own love of golf, they helped support the Junior Golf program introducing the sport to children and teenagers. In October 2014 John & Helen moved to “The Virginian” retirement community where Helen passed away in December 2014. John continued to make friends and was recognized for the unabating grace and kindness that long characterized him. The last surviving member of his nuclear family, his in-laws, his WWII Army regiment, and many of his contemporaries as a member of the “Greatest Generation”, John Curran leaves behind a legacy of wisdom, humor, and kindness of a life well lived. We will miss his physical presence, but he will always be in our minds and hearts. John will be interred with his wife Helen at Arlington National Cemetery later this year (TBD). For those inclined to send flowers, please instead consider donating to the Wounded Warriors fund.