Gerald Deon McCurley's Obituary
Gerald “Jerry” Deon McCurley passed away surrounded by his family on Thursday, June 22, 2017 at 2:34 pm, at the age of 85, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Jerry was a long-time resident of Tulsa, and has lived in both North and South Tulsa over the years. He spent his later years in a retirement community in Broken Arrow, where he could be close to family while maintaining his independence- something that was very important to him. Jerry was born February 20, 1932 in Branch, Arkansas to Tipton B. and Edna McCurley (Snell). He grew up in Tulsa, OK and graduated from Central High School in 1950. Soon after, he joined the Air Force (during the Korean War), where he served as a military police officer in the 3510th Air Police Squadron in Germany until 1954. He received an Occupation Medal (Germany) and a National Defense Service Medal for his service there. After leaving the air force, he met Marsha Kay Gregory, in Gore, OK. The two married in 1955 and lived in Hartshorne, OK until the birth of their first son, Melvin. Jerry and Marsha moved to Broken Arrow, where he took a job as a sales manager for Page-Glencliff Milk Company. Soon after, the couple welcomed their first daughter, Cinda. When the company shut down, Jerry took a job at the Grapette Bottling Company in Muskogee. There, the couple completed their family with the births of their daughter Carmella and their son Tipton. After leaving Grapette, Jerry stayed in the soda industry, first going to RC Cola, then on to Pepsi Bottling Group, where he stayed until he retired in 1989. With the move to PepsiCo, Jerry and Marsha moved to Tulsa, where they raised their four children. When the children were grown, the couple bought a lake house in Grove, where Jerry and his grandchildren spent many days out on the fishing dock catching crappie. After the sudden loss of his wife in 1990, Jerry moved back to Tulsa to be closer to his children and grandchildren. Jerry loved spending time with his family, especially his grandkids, all of whom he spoiled rotten. He was affectionately referred to as “Poppy” by his grandchildren and scores of others who “adopted” him over the years. His favorite pastime was fishing, and he loved to tell a good fish story, especially those involving his fishing trips with the grandbabies. He also loved NASCAR, old western movies, and Bonanza. Jerry was a godly man, who grew up and raised his children in the Baptist church. He was saved in 1972, when he rededicated his life to Christ. Jerry is survived by his daughter Cinda Lewis and husband Claude Lewis of Owasso, OK; son Melvin McCurley and wife Jacci McCurley of Broken Arrow, OK; and son Tipton J. McCurley of Eucha, OK. He has ten grandchildren (Not including all of those who have “adopted” him over the years!) and countless step- and great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents, Tipton B. and Edna McCurley, his wife Marsha McCurley, his sister, Shirley Eileen McCurley, his brothers, Tipton A. McCurley and Alvin J. McCurley, and his daughter Carmella “Cammie” Wolfe. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the American Heart Association.
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