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John Francis Curley, Lt., USN, Ret

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 1:08 am
by Board Admin
Dear Shipmates,
I don't know if you've already heard this bad news already; but, that doesn't matter anyway. One of our shipmates, John Francis Curley, Lt., USN, Ret, former member of the original and first Blue Crew of the U.S.S. James Madison SSBN-627, has passed away. John was a dear and valued friend from the first day I met him on the "living & office barge" for the > pre-commissioning detail of the Madison's new construction crew at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. at Newport News, Virginia in August 1962.

John F. Curley went from RMSN to RMSN(SS) to Radioman Second Class Petty Officer on our ship, and then to RMC(SS), and on to Lieutenant before he retired. John was "striker" to some of us, and terrific shipmate to the rest. It's very hard to write this buddies, I truly loved the guy, was best man at his first wedding and Godfather to his first child. He died on
August 7th of a massive heart attack according to his son Johnny. Johnny called me this morning to alert me to his Dad's passing. He said that his Mom, (Elvy) and Dad were watching TV that evening. He said that Elvy looked away for a few seconds and when she looked back, John had passed.

God Bless you John Curley, and rest your oars, shipmate.
Fred "Ahab" Thomas
RMC(SS), USN, Ret.
John F. Curley, Lt. U.S. Navy (Ret), 66 of Mechanicsville, MD died August 7, 2011 at St. Mary's Hospital. Born May 30, 1945 in Long Beach, CA he was the son of the late Thomas Donald Curley and Eileen Muriel (Nelson) Curley.

John was a 31 year veteran of the U.S. Navy serving aboard it's fleet of submarines. He enlisted on June 14, 1962 at the age of 17 as a Seaman Recruit and retired on February 28, 1993 at the age of 48 as a Lieutenant. He wore every enlisted rank from Seaman Recruit to Master Chief Petty Officer before advancing to the rank of LDO as a Chief Warrant Officer, and finally receiving his Commission and retiring as a Lieutenant. He held the rank of Radioman and served upon both the SSBN (Boomer Submarines) and SSN (Fast Attack Submarines). These included the U.S.S. James Madison, U.S.S. Henry Clay, U.S.S. Pintado and the U.S.S. George C. Marshall. His favorite being the U.S.S. Pintado a Fast Attack Submarine. He completed his career as a Trident Submarine Instructor and retired a the Naval Air Warfare Command, Patuxent River, MD. Upon retiring, he began working as a Civilian Consultant for the U.S. Military with several local government contractors where he retired once again from DCS Corporation in Lexington Park, MD.

John is survived by his wife, Elvy E. (Johnson) Curley, his children, Valerie Walter of Cromwell, CT, Barbara Curley La Rue of California, MD and John Michael Curley of Mechanicsville, MD, and his grandchildren, Michael Taddeo of Cromwell, CT, Jack Ryan La Rue of California, MD, Harrison Bradford La Rue of California, MD, Benjamin Travis La Rue of California, MD and Michael Curley of Mechanicsville, MD.

Family will receive friends for John's Life Celebration on Friday, August 12, 2011 from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. in the Brinsfield Funeral Home, 22955 Hollywood Road, Leonardtown, MD 20650. A Funeral Service will be held at 7:00 p.m. Interment will be in Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 5216, Glenn Allen, VA 23058-5216.

Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A, Leonardtown, MD.

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