Claudia Burton Carey Curtsinger, 88, Bardstown
Claudia Burton Carey Curtsinger, 88, of Bardstown, died Monday, July 1, 2013, at Colonial Health and Rehabilitation Center in Bardstown. She was born July 10, 1924 in Bloomfield.
She and James “Junior” Grundy Curtsinger, Jr., were married Feb. 7, 1945. At that time she lived in Louisville and was employed at the Goodyear Engineering Core Powder Plant in Charlestown, Indiana. She continued to work there after their marriage until they returned to Bloomfield and became tenant farmers for Jack Shields and others. In 1954, she began working with Cowden Manufacturing Co. in Springfield. During that time she had two sons, but, as the family grew, she became a stay-at-home mom who raised large gardens, cooked for farm hands, took care of six children, and helped care for her aging in-laws. After “Junior’s” death in 1973, the family moved to Bardstown where Claudia began employment with Colonial Nursing Home from 1973 to 1989. In the ensuing years, she was also employed with Roses Department Store, when it was located in the Kentucky Home Plaza, the Dollar General Store when it was located on Bloomfield Road, and the KY Department of Employment Services (through the “Green Thumb” program for senior citizens), all in Bardstown.
She was a member of New Hope Baptist Church in Washington County. Among her many talents were sewing, decorating cakes for special occasions, raising flower gardens, and handcrafting dolls. She had a keen interest in family history, coin and stamp collecting. In her younger years, she compiled a family photograph album and a history video for each of her six children.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Raymond Merritt Carey and Sallie Mae Tingle Carey; her stepmother, Irene Burns Settles Carey; her husband, James Grundy “Junior” Curtsinger, Jr.; and three brothers, James William Carey, Raymond Franklin Carey and Dorchester Wood Carey.
She is survived by two daughters, Nancy Jane Curtsinger (Gilbert Sparrow) of Mount Eden and Peggy Louise (Mark) Thurman of Hodgenville; four sons, James Merritt “Jimmy” Curtsinger and wife (Lana Gayle) of Radcliff, Ronald Wayne “Ronnie” Curtsinger and wife (Becky), Jeffrey Michael “Jeff” Curtsinger and wife (Debbie) and Richard Burton “Rick” Curtsinger (Theresa), all of Bardstown;
one sister Shirley Jean (Willard) Brown of Bardstown; 11 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
Cremation was chosen with a private memorial service to be held at a later date. There will be no funeral home visitation.
The family requests memorial contributions be sent to Colonial Health and Rehab for the resident’s activities fund in memory and honor of Claudia Curtsinger.
Houghlin-Greenwell Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
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