Mary Lea Curley, 60, of Washington, Iowa died Saturday, Dec. 22, 2001 of a lengthy illness.

Funeral services were held Thursday, Dec. 27, at St. James Catholic Church in Washington with Father Denis Martin officiating. Burial was in Elm Grove Cemetery with Eden Funeral Home handling arrangements.

Mrs. Curley was born April 15, 1935 in Riceville to James B. and Zelma (Patch) Hendricks. She married Robert R. Curley May 5, 1956 in Riceville.

She graduated from Riceville High School and received her bachelor of Education degree from Upper Iowa University. Mrs. Curley later received her master’s degree from the University of Iowa.

She was a school teacher and taught in Socarro, N.M. and taught special education in Washington County. She taught for 23 years in Oinsworth, retiring in 1994.

Mrs. Curley was a member of St. James Catholic Church. She was also a member of Alpha Chi of Delta Kappa Gama, and the Catholic Daughters of America. Mrs. Curley was a volunteer for the Washington area Habitat for Humanity. She had lived in Washington since July 1959.

Mrs. Curley is survived by her husband, Robert; two daughters, Michele Larche and husband Stephen of Indianola, and Sheryl Grisamome of Plantation, Flo.; two sisters, Bernadine Torney of Bella Vista, Ark., and Patricia Bodenham of Riceville; and one granddaughter, Molly Larche.

She was preceded in death by her parents; one sister, Kathryn Christensen; and one brother, James Hendricks.

Source: Riceville Recorder; Jan. 10, 2002 Page 9
from Elma library collection assembled by Marian (Marr) McGee
Transcribed by ABBYY FineReader® 12, Adapted to the Web by Bill Waters