Obituary of George Edmund Curran

George Edmund Curran, a Korean War Veteran, general contractor, amateur inventor, and man of faith passed peacefully at his home Friday morning, September 29, 2023.  He was 90 years old.  

George was born on June 28, 1933, in Lynn, Massachusetts.  He was the son of Cora Belle and Roy Ellwood Curran.  He was a graduate of Lynn English High School where he was involved in sports – especially Track.  

He completed his Senior year of High School early to enlist in the Air Force and serve in the Korean War.  He was part of the 4th Fighter Wing Interceptor Unit, he held the rank of Airman Second Class, and was part of the Military Police attached to the 3917th Air Base Squadron.  He was the recipient of the National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, and the Korean Presidential Unit Citation.  He was very proud to serve his country and often shared stories of his military days with his children and grandchildren.

George worked most of his career as a general contractor specializing in large steel buildings.  He built many local buildings and landmarks such as the Prince Spaghetti House in Saugus, The Town Grocery in Burlington, the Woburn Racquetball Club, the largest Marshall’s warehouse ever built at the time, the YMCA in Goffstown, NH, and approximately 100 other buildings around New England.  He worked with Temple Grandin on building projects in Saudi Arabia in the early 1980s.  His longest project was his home, which he built in 1969 at the age of 36, and continually renovated and expanded until his passing.  In a second career, he also served as a Massachusetts Civil Enforcement Officer for several years. 

George was a man in perpetual motion, he was a force of nature.  He was always doing something, inventing, planning, and giving of himself to others.  He enjoyed woodworking, gardening, deep sea fishing, and photography.  He loved to travel and even flew on the Concorde.  He was always envisioning innovations and improvements.  At the age of 75, to maintain his independence, he built his own electric bicycle. It was a common sight to see him riding around Burlington.  

His mother often said, “he has a cast iron constitution” and she sure was right.  He was generous and unselfish and was always willing to lend a helping hand or share words of wisdom to his family and friends.  He was a voracious reader and would occasionally finish a novel in one sitting. After he lost his eyesight, he turned to audio books to continue his love of reading. 

George met his wife Tina at a dance club in Hyannis and they were married at St. James Church in Medford on September 8, 1962.  George became a Catholic, the faith of Tina.  After his wife passed, he made a promise to pray the Rosary every day, and he kept that promise, even praying the Rosary the night before he died.  He was a long-time member of St. Malachy Church, and his fingerprints are all over the building.  He oversaw church renovation projects and was a member of the church’s Men’s Group and Finance Council. He wasn’t afraid of dying and would joke that he was trying to set the record for the most times receiving the “Last Rites.”  Finally, in the past few years, he also discovered meditation and would attend a weekly meditation meeting at Tuong Van Temple in Lowell. 

George was one of a kind.  He was an entrepreneur, businessman, philanthropist, and family man, who did all with wit, charm, and in “George Style”.  He was unstoppable in all phases of his life.  He was always young at heart, loved to sing and dance, and didn’t take himself too seriously.  He was known for his hardy conversations where he often said “Show me the Pudding.”  He loved having all his family around, the chaos at the dinner table, and seeing his family grown with marriages and babies.  All his family have a little bit of George in them, and his spirit will endure through them for generations.  George was part of the “Greatest Generation” who served their country, served their community, and served their family.  

George was the beloved husband of 55 years of Valentina “Tina” Curran who passed in 2017.  He was the proud father of George Curran & his wife Donna of Manchester, NH, Thomas Curran & his wife Kari of Spokane Valley, WA, Joseph Curran & his wife Tracy of North Billerica, Connie Sorenson of Burlington, and Diane Curran of Burlington.  He was the brother of Donald Cann of SC, the late Robert Curran, Roy “Babe” Curran, Rita Lorette, Roger Curran, and Nancy Cann.  He was the cousin of Helen Gurska of Salem, NH.  George’s greatest joys were his 19 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.

Visiting hours will be held in the rear chapel of St. Malachy Church (a/k/a St. Veronica Parish), 99 Bedford Street, Burlington, MA on Monday, October 9 from 4-6 PM.  A Rosary/Shared Reflection Service will begin at 6 PM. 

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Malachy Church (a/k/a St. Veronica Parish), 99 Bedford Street, Burlington, MA on Tuesday, October 10 at 10 AM. Services will conclude with a burial in Pine Haven Cemetery in Burlington with military honors.  Relatives and friends are respectfully invited. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials in George’s name may be made to the American Diabetes Association, https://diabetes.org