Willie Joe Curry

Willie Joe Curry was born on September 3, 1931, to the late Joe Brown and Clidy Elizabeth Curry in Perry, Florida.

Willie Joe Curry attended public schools in Jacksonville, Florida, graduating from (“The Old”) Stanton Senior High School. After graduating from Stanton, Joe enlisted in the United States Air Force, where he served his country for 5 years. Joe achieved numerous accomplishments during that time. Most notably, he rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant in only 22 months! Following his discharge from the United States Air Force, he settled in Austin, Texas. Joe felt called to join the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Austin, where he served faithfully for more than15 years.

As a young child, Joe possessed an extraordinary intellectual curiosity and an ardent desire to learn as much as he could about many things, particularly if it related to science. During his 15 plus years in Austin, Texas, he made the decision to continue his education by attending the University of Texas at Austin. Joe was enrolled there for three years, majoring in chemistry.

After returning to Jacksonville, Joe worked for several well-known companies in the city including the St. Regis Paper Company. Joe was employed there for close to twenty years. He was not only a dedicated employee, but he also served as a union representative. Under his union leadership, many changes were implemented at the mill that helped to improve the working conditions, wages and benefits for the African American workers. Mr. Curry worked at St. Regis Paper until the facility was permanently closed.

Following the closure of the St. Regis Paper Company, Joe worked at several jobs including the U.S. Postal service prior to landing a position with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office where he was employed as a Correctional Officer until he retired in 1997.

J.C. was an avid jazz fan, and he possessed a diverse collection of the most iconic jazz singers and musicians of his time.

Joe loved spending time with his children watching football games and eating popcorn. Taking them out to dinner after church was an integral part of his life with his children. Joe loved freshwater fishing! It was an exciting time for him whenever he got a chance to visit with his brother, Freddie Curry, in Gifford, Florida. While there, they would spend many hours boating and fishing and talking; things that most brothers like to do together.

Although he had many interests, he never strayed from the one thing that had been instilled in him early in his life: that of serving and praising God. When he returned to Jacksonville in 1966, Joe joined the Bethel Baptist Institutional Church where he remained a member until his passing.

Mr. Curry leaves to cherish his memory, his loving and devoted wife, Cherry Williams-Curry; a loving son, Frederick Joseph Curry (Jocelyn) of Atlanta, Georgia; a loving and caring daughter, Sharnika Williams of Miami, Florida; and his only loving and faithful brother, Freddie Lee Curry of Gifford, Florida. Other family members include his stepdaughter, Sherolde Hackett (Eric) of Pennsauken, New Jersey; grandchildren, Addison, Austin, and Jadon Curry of Atlanta, Georgia and Ashley Smith of Pennsauken, New Jersey; along with a host of nieces, nephews and cousins.

Sarah L. Carter's Funeral Home Northside is serving the Family.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Willie Joe Curry, please visit our floral store.