Lavern Keith Currey passed away Saturday, March 25, 2023 at Cascade Creek Memory Care in Rochester, Minnesota. He was 91 years old. When Keith passed away, he had his family and loved ones by his side. Keith was loved by everyone.
Keith Curry was born on February 12, 1932 in Sargent, Nebraska. He was the only child of his Tressia Mae (Ullom) and girlfriend George (Joe) Edward Currey. In 1935, Keith and his parents moved to Rusk, Wyoming, where Joe owned and operated his KC his barbershop. Keith grew up in Rusk and graduated from Rusk High School in 1950. During his school days, he participated in many sports, especially basketball, baseball and soccer. During high school, Keith learned to play golf on the 9-hole sand green course at Rusk. His lifelong passion for golf began!
After high school, Keith attended the University of Wyoming. At UW, he played on the Cowboys freshman basketball team and was a member of the Sigma He Alpha and Epsilon Fraternity. His college classes were interrupted when Keith was drafted after his sophomore year (1952) and served in the military during the Korean War. and also worked on “The Tip of the Gun”. During this time his hearing was severely impaired and became very problematic for him later in his life. After being honorably discharged in 1953, he returned to his UW to complete his bachelor’s degree. While in college, he met and fell in love with Beverly (Bev) June Busted of Cody, Wyoming. They were happily married from 1955 until Beverly’s death in 1982. They had two children, daughter Kim and son Kevin.
After graduating from UW, Keith and Bev began their teaching careers in Green River, Wyoming before moving to Riverton in 1961. Keith worked as a classroom teacher in the Riverton School District for many years, and Bev was the district’s only speech therapist. In 1967, Keith and Bev decided to pursue advanced degrees in their respective fields. They both graduated after traveling to Missoula, Missoula to attend the University of Montana. In 1972, Keith earned his ME degree in Guidance and Counseling and Bev earned his MA in Audiology. After graduating, Keith was hired as his counselor at the new Riverton High School career his center’s first guidance. He also helped launch the new Career Center in the early 1970s. His last job was as a guidance counselor at Riverton High School until he retired in 1995. He also served as a basketball referee at Riverton schools and as a longtime high school golf coach. Wyoming 4-A West His conference recognized Keith’s dedication, and in 1995 he was awarded Golf Coach of the Year.
Within the Riverton community, Keith was a member of the Elks Lodge, VFW, Masonic Lodge and Shriners (members of the “Scooter Patrol” and “Jesters”). He was also an active supporter of University of Wyoming sports and was a member of the Cowboy His Joe Club.
Keith was a very avid golfer and spent most of his time on the golf course weather permitting. He was a longtime member of the Riverton Country Club. Keith was an active member and served on the board of directors of the Wyoming Senior Men’s Golf Association. Keith had countless holes.
Keith loved Wyoming, the Wyoming Cowboys, and the great Wyoming outdoors. He enjoyed traveling and spending time with his children and grandchildren. After his retirement, he began spending the winter months with his pal Dottie Walker in Yuma, Arizona. In the summer they both returned to Riverton.
Laverne Keith Curry predates the deaths of his parents, George and Trecia Curry, as well as his wife, Beverly Curry. He is survived by his daughter, Kim (Greg) Wiseman, from Rochester, Minnesota. Kevin (Mary Jane) Curry of his son, Idaho Falls, ID. His longtime companion of 22 years, Yuma AZ’s Dottie Walker. and Mary Jo Downey Curry of Medical Lake, Washington. He also worked with Jillian Curry (Jared) Boyd of LaGrande OR, Andrew K. Curry of Los Angeles, CA, Kathryn Weisman (Michael Swartz) of Omaha, Nebraska, Kristen Weisman of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and his 2 He also leaves his four grandchildren of two granddaughters. Madeleine and Juliette Boyd in La Grande, Oregon.
Keith’s Life celebrations are planned for the future.
Because Keith has dedicated so many years of his life to teaching, the family asks that a memento in Keith’s memory be sent to the University of Wyoming. A scholarship fund is established in memory of L. Keith Currey. Gifts may be sent to: In Memory of L. Keith Currey, c/o: The University of Wyoming Foundation, 222 South 22nd Street, Laramie, WY 82070.
