Dr. Earl Curry, who retired in 2000 as a professor emeritus of history after 32 years on the Hope faculty, died on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. He was 90.
His primary field was United States history beginning with the Civil War, with his interests also including Irish history and Latin American history. In addition to his teaching on campus, he co-led a Hope May Term to Ireland with John Tammi of the theatre faculty.
As shared in his obituary, “Beloved by students and fellow faculty, Earl did have a bit of a rebellious streak that may have caused a few raised eyebrows in administration. Nevertheless, he served as chair of the history department twice and was highly respected. Earl particularly enjoyed exploring conflict resolution in foreign countries, and for years, he took Hope College May Term students to Ireland to study it firsthand. His passion for history was equaled only by his passion for Ireland — a love affair his students spoke of in reverent tones.”
He was born and raised in Monmouth, Illinois, and attended Catholic schools throughout his childhood. Following high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, serving for three years. He then became the first in his family to attend college, earning a Bachelor of Science degree at Iowa State University, followed by a Master of Arts degree and Ph.D. in history from the University of Minnesota.
Prior to joining the Hope faculty in 1968, he taught at Monmouth College (now Monmouth University) in New Jersey. After retiring from Hope, he continued to teach as an adjunct professor at Kendall College of Art & Design in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
His publications included the book ‘Hoover’s Dominican Diplomacy and the Origins of the Good Neighbor Policy’ as well as reviews and scholarly articles. He presented numerous papers at professional conferences, in addition to speaking locally on topics ranging from international affairs and domestic politics to local social problems. He received external support of his research from organizations including the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute for Humane Studies.
Survivors include his wife of 46 years, Leslie; his children, Carolyn (David) Taylor, Kevin (Stacey) Curry, Amy (Clark Bennett) Curry, Owen (Jennifer Tello) Curry, and Brynn (Luis Ramos) Curry, along with 13 grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and a “family” of close friends. He is also survived by his sister Janet Clark and niece Kathy Clark Binder. He was preceded in death by his parents, Donald and Margaret, and his sisters, Betty and Ruth.
Visitation with his family will be on Thursday, Aug. 15, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at O’Brien Eggebeen Gerst Funeral Home, 3980 Cascade Rd. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hearts of Hope Dog Rescue, Legal Aid of Western Michigan or Hillary Scholten for Congress. Links are included in his obituary, which is available online.