Certificate of Merit Award

Chuck was born and raised in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia. His grandfather, Will Curry purchased a funeral home/furniture store in 1908. His father, Charles L. Curry joined his father in the funeral business and eventually took ownership of Curry’s Funeral Home in Glace Bay. Chuck’s father passed away in 1961.

At the request of his mother, Mary E. Curry Chuck came to Antigonish, Nova Scotia in 1964 to manage an ambulance operation she owned there. In 1966, Chuck opened and managed a new business for her, being, Curry’s Funeral Home, Antigonish.

In 1968, Chuck’s brother, Frank X. Curry joined him in Antigonish and in 1970 , Chuck and Frank purchased their mother’s interest in the business and formed a company, Curry Brothers Funeral Directors Ltd.

In 1994 they constructed a new, 5000 sq. ft. funeral facility on College Street in Antigonish. In 1997, Chuck and his wife Joanne purchased Frank’s shares of the business and changed the name of the company to C. L. Curry Funeral Services Ltd.

Chuck’s wife of 35 years, Joanne (nee Doyle), is Chuck’s business partner and also a Licensed Funeral Director. They have three children, Patrick, who is a fourth generation Licensed Embalmer and Funeral Director and who is currently working in the Province of Ontario; Rosemary, currently a student in the Fine Arts Program at Concordia University, Montreal; Tom, a fourth year student at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, is vying for a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a Major in Music.

PROFESSIONAL INVOLVEMENT

·       Past Secretary-Treasurer of the Nova Scotia Licensed Embalmers and Funeral Directors Association

·       Past President of the Nova Scotia Licensed Embalmers and Funeral Directors Association

·       Nova Scotia Representative to the Board of Directors of the Funeral Services Association of Canada (9 years)

·       Founding member and Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Independent Group of Funeral Homes

·       Current Vice President of the Canadian Independent Group of Funeral Homes

·       Current Executive Advisor for the Funeral Service Association of Nova Scotia (FSANS)

·       FSANS representative on the Nova Scotia Board of Registration of Embalmers and Funeral Directors

·       Past President of the Antigonish Junior Chamber of Commerce

·       Past President of the Kingsmen Club of Antigonish

·       Served ten years as Chairman of  the Antigonish District School Board

·       Served as Chairman of a building committee to construct a new community workshop for the Canadian Association for Community Living.

It is not only with my own personnel experience but history that has documented what he has done for the Funeral Profession not only in the Province of Nova Scotia and Canada, but also in his communities and the families that he has served. I have always looked up to him as a mentor in the Funeral Profession and I still continue to do that. But equally important as a friend who I can call on at any time,