Annie Lou (Cook) Curran

Annie Lou Cook Curran obituary

Annie Lou Cook Curran, 88, passed peacefully on December 19, 2020, in Raleigh, N.C. She was born in Cabarrus County, N.C., October 16, 1932 to Hugh Ingle Cook and Gertrude Kerr Cook.

She was preceded in death by her husband, LCDR Wade Hampton Curran, Jr. USN; daughter, Kathy Curran Burkhart; son, David Wade Curran; her parents; a sister, Marie Duncan; and a brother, Ingle Cook. Annie Lou is survived by a son, Joel Gregory Curran (Shelley) of Raleigh, and her son-in-law, Kenly Burkhart of New Prague, MN, and five grandchildren: Aaron K. Burkhart (Holleigh), Evan W. Burkart, Alex H. Burkhart, Kelsey L. Curran, Addison A. Curran; two step-granddaughters: Mackenzie and Savannah Blake; and two great-grandsons: Curran Burkhart and Cadence Burkhart.

Annie’s marriage to Wade, her sweetheart at Cannon High School in Kannapolis, lasted until his untimely death in 1983. As the wife of a man whose career began in the Air Force and continued as a Yale Divinity student and pastor of Beck’s Reformed UCC before becoming a career Navy chaplain, Anne moved frequently around the nation and the world. When Wade was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, Annie went back to college at the age of 40 to finish her degree in education, graduating from Old Dominion University. When MS forced Wade into early retirement, Annie began a long career as a K-12 educator specializing in students with learning disabilities. She loved her students at Pickett Middle School in Lexington, NC; College Park Elementary in Virginia Beach, VA; Chapel Hill High School; Durham School of The Arts; and Alamance-Burlington School System, among many others. She especially cherished her friendships among teachers and staff at each stop along the way.

Annie Lou lived her life with one simple credo: family, first. She spent a decade as the primary caregiver for Wade, then 10 years later she would do the same for David as he dealt with complications from AIDS. Several decades later, she joined Kenly to provide care for Kathy as she bravely battled cancer. On the brighter side, her house was a welcome inn for family members in transition. If you were a niece, nephew, cousin, child or grandchild, her spare room was always available for as long as you needed it. She loved to read, made a great chocolate poundcake, endlessly doted on her grandchildren, and never turned down a sweet tea – especially if it was paired with Lexington Barbecue. She enjoyed dozens of trips to Disneyland and Walt Disney World with family. Annie would tell you she lived a full life, but in that fullness she made everyone else’s life all the richer.

Special thanks to Sheila Weisner, her friend and caregiver for the years preceding her move to Brighton Gardens of Raleigh where she received great care. And a warm hug to Nancy Cline, her lifelong friend.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Whitley’s Funeral Home; Annie will be laid to rest at Carolina Memorial Park in Kannapolis. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, a celebration of her life will be held at a later date.