Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Currie

Mary E. “Libby” Currie passed away on April 29, 2017, surrounded by her loving family. She was born on June 21, 1936 in Fayetteville North Carolina to Gola Willoughby of St. Pauls (NC) and Elias Straughn of Sampson County (NC).

Libby is survived by her son Don Currie and wife Michelle of Lake Mary Florida, son Scott Currie of Manhattan New York, and daughter Heather Currie Wegge and husband Forrest of St. Louis Missouri. She also leaves behind her adoring grandchildren, Lauren, Katherine and Sarah Currie, and Miranda Wegge.

Libby was raised in Fayetteville North Carolina and became an avid “Tar Heel”, graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1958 with a Bachelors Degree in Education. After marrying Donald J. Currie in 1959, the couple started a family while living and working in New York City. Libby was a fashion model in New York City in her younger years and, as children entered her life, she moved to Long Island and began her lifelong career of teaching.

Libby lived and worked for most of her life on Long Island, residing first in Manhasset and later in Glen Cove, and summered regularly with her family on Shelter Island. After many years of raising her children and teaching primary and secondary school children in the Valley Stream and Hempstead Public School Districts, she earned her Masters Degree in Reading Specialization from C. W. Post College. During her career she had untold impact on the lives of hundreds of school children with the gift of reading. At the peak of her career, she served as the Administrator of Reading and English Language Arts for Hempstead Public Schools and was an Adjunct Professor for the New York Technical Institute in the Department of Education. In service to her home state of North Carolina and the university she so loved, Libby served as the President and Trustee of the UNC Chapel Hill Alumni Association, President, Secretary and Trustee of the North Carolina Society of New York City and on the Advisory Board of the Duke University Eye Center.

Libby was known for her boundless energy, her love for entertaining, travel, photography and giving little gifts for any occasion. She was always on the lookout for a new family moving into her neighborhood as an opportunity to bake and deliver an apple pie.

Upon her retirement, she built her dream home in Chapel Hill North Carolina, near her alma mater. As her health declined in 2012, she moved to Florida to be with her family and grandchildren where she lived out the remainder of her life. Libby was a loving mother and grandmother, and her love was abundantly returned by her children and grandchildren. We love you Grammie!

Family and friends are invited to celebrate Libby’s life at Sullivan’s Highland Funeral Home, 610 Ramsey Street, Fayetteville, NC on Friday, May 5, 2017. The family will receive Libby’s friends at 10:00 am followed by a memorial service at 11:00 am and a brief graveside service immediately afterwards at the nearby Lafayette Memorial Park in the Floral Garden Section at 2301 Ramsey Street.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in memory of Mary E. (Libby) Currie to support glaucoma research at Duke Eye Center. Checks may be written to Duke Eye Center and mailed to the address below, or donate online at www.gifts.duke.edu/dukeeye..

Please note Mrs. Currie’s name on the memo line of the check or when making an online donation. Duke Eye Center Development 710 W. Main St., Suite 200 Durham, NC 27701