Photos by Bob Dumon
FH resident Wally Curry celebrated his 100th birthday on December 27th, along with many friends and family members at the Community Center. Among the attendees were Wally's three children, seven grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren who had traveled from seven states to honor an amazing man.
A WW II Veteran, Wally, joined the Army in 1942, just before his 20th birthday, while he was an engineering student at Drexel College. In a short time, he became an expert rifleman and qualified as a sniper. He graduated from Officer's Candidate School and headed to Europe on the HMS Queen Elizabeth with 15,000 other troops; they later shipped out to Normandy and landed on Utah Beach. This Unit was later awarded a Congressional Citation.
As a civilian, Wally spent his career in management with Pepperidge Farm. Following retirement in 1987, Wally and his beloved wife Dot moved to Fairfield Harbor. They were both very active; Wally was an avid golfer, and Dot was well-known for singing with the FH Chorus until her passing.
Wally is known to be a great storyteller, and his recent birthday party was the perfect opportunity to share stories with his guests while some of his favorite tunes from the 1940s were playing in the background. After cake and ice cream were served, Wally stood up with the microphone in hand and thanked everyone for being there and being part of his life, and he offered some personal observations about what he has experienced in 100 years. Wally maintains many vivid memories of his life experiences, which is precisely what makes him such a fascinating storyteller.
Happy Birthday, Wally Curry!!