(Stittsville Rotary Club members gathered to honour John Curry with his sister Jane Hill, his Grand-niece Harper and Grand-nephew Leo at the W.J. Bell Rotary Peace Park on September 25, 2022. Photos: Stittsville Central)
It was a quiet Sunday morning on September 25 at the W.J. Bell Rotary Peace Park in Stittsville, but an important day of remembrance for the Stittsville Rotary Club. Family, members and friends gathered to honour John Curry, a true gentleman and pillar of our community who sadly passed away in February of this year.
Everyone was there to honour John – their shared stories and memories were abundant. He was a dedicated honorary member of the Rotary Club and had been presented with the Paul Harris Award in 2021, the highest honour that a Rotarian can receive, for his long-time dedication to his community.
A commemorative brick was laid in John’s honour in the W.J. Bell Rotary Peace Park on the pathway leading to the labyrinth. John’s sister, Jane Hill, and his Grand-niece Harper and Grand-nephew Leo were present to assist with the installation.
Jane shared, “we still miss John. He would often call to say he would be late to a family event, due to his commitment to his community and his next story. He was presented with the Paul Harris Award and of all the awards he received, this one was special to him, speaking of it often. We are humbled to be here to honour my brother John with a brick in the Peace Park, thank you”.
Rotarian Dave was joined by Harper and Leo to assist with the brick installation in a space chosen by the children to honour their Great-Uncle John. After the installation refreshments were available and many more stories shared.
There is no place more fitting for an honour such as this for John – the W.J. Bell Rotary Peace Park was a community park that he loved. The next time you find yourself in this park, take a moment to stop and pay homage to John.
This is a wonderful tribute to John. I’m hoping one day his name will grace a cultural center in our community too. He is sorely missed.
A great man and wonderful historian for our towns, we surely do miss him.
RIP John.
John always made time to listen. His calm demeanor and wisdom was appreciated during troubled times. He was THE community man, dependable and caring.
He is greatly missed.
John gave selflessly..!! He loved his community & in turn his community loved him. He covered our stories for many years and was an advocate for all in Stittsville & within the Ottawa Catholic School Board he served. He is greatly missed but I’m certain he is shining down on us today..!!!