Obituary of John David Currey

CURREY, John David Sr.

Born, January 12, 1940 in Brocton, IL, to Dr. Harry and Mrs. Erma North Currey, died July 20, 2019.  Private Catholic services will be held in Canada and cremains will be interred at Payne Cemetery in Brocton, IL. John graduated from Brocton High School in 1958 and received a BS degree in Business from Eastern Illinois University in 1962.  He started his professional career as a sales representative with Nystrom and Co. in southern Florida later moving to Atlanta with Nystrom in sales management.  In 1979 he joined Science Kit Inc. in Buffalo as Vice President of Sales and Marketing.  In 1980 he moved to Toronto as President of the Company's Canadian division, Boreal Laboratories Ltd.  During the 80's Boreal added Ward's Natural Science, Arbour Scientific Ltd.,  and CENCO Canada to their holdings. As the companies grew he moved their operations to St. Catharines where new facilities were built.  In 1992 he left Canada spending four years as president of another corporate division, Central Scientific Company Inc. in Chicago.  In 1996 he returned to St. Catharines to further expand the Boreal group of companies with the purchase of Northwest Scientific Supply Company, a British Columbia company.  He retired from the companies in 2004.   He married Katharine "Kathy" Barr England, daughter of the late Tony and Marguerite England of Pana, IL. in 1963. They had three children:  Elizabeth Ann "Beth" (of Atlanta, GA.), Deborah Lynn "Debbie" (George Iliopoulos of Markham, ON) and John Jr. (Marci of Bolton, ON), and four grandchildren: Peter John Francis and George Jr. Iliopoulos, Sydney Lauren, John Michael Wilson Currey. He was an active alumni in his college fraternity, Tau Kappa Epsilon. He became a member of Knights of Columbus Council 9222, serving as Grand Knight and later as a member and Grand Knight of Council 1394 and a member of the 4th degree Assembly 0864.  His community interests included serving on the Board of Directors of the St. Catharines YMCA, a member of Rotary International, and Board member of Hospice Niagara.  He received an honorary membership in Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society for Collegiate Schools of Business from Eastern Illinois University in 2003 and their Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2006. His passion was politics. He rarely met a Conservative he did not like or a Liberal he trusted.  Never one to complain about politics, without being involved, he took his beliefs to the office holder, editor, his neighbors and the electorate.  He never ran for public office but “won” working with several candidates and spent some lonely nights at the second place finisher's “party”.  He loved being involved. John and Kathy enjoyed their lives and their family.  They traveled, they drank, they ate, they looked, they remembered. They had a great time! Contributions may be made to the John and Katharine Currey Education Fund, administered by Eastern Illinois University Foundation, Charleston, IL 61920.