SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Earl Curry, who arrived in Yellowknife in 1951 and left a permanent mark on the city's skyline, died March 8 at his home in Victoria, B.C.

Former Yellowknifer Earl Curry, a founder of Bellanca Development, died earlier this month. - photo courtesy of Yvonne Curry

The businessman, developer and avid golfer, with an affinity for jazz and cigars, lived in Yellowknife intermittently until his retirement in 1982.

Curry was a founder of Bellanca Development. Ltd. which built the Bellanca Building, the Precambrian Building, the Scotia Building and the Northwest Tower - all among Yellowknife's tallest structures.

Curry's first Yellowknife job was with Norm Byrne, a consulting mining engineer, whom he worked for when arriving in the Northern city. Byrne's son Mike recalls Curry as a man who "always seemed to be happy and laughing."

Although he says he didn't know Curry extremely well, both families were inextricably connected through Curry and Byrne's working relationship.

"Their family was friends with our family because the two men worked together," said Mike.

Curry leaves behind his wife Yvonne, son Jeff and two daughters, Karen and Kelly. His first wife, Mary Jane, died in 1995.

Byrne recalls the family living in an apartment that was in his father's office building, where the Bellanca Building is now, kitty-corner to the downtown liquor store. There were two apartments for staff upstairs and Curry lived there with his family.

"I spent a lot of time visiting up there. I was the same age as his oldest daughter. His son Jeff and I spent some time together as well," said Byrne.

During a phone interview with Yellowknifer, Byrne recalled what he could about Curry, who he hasn't seen for a few years, and only once in a while after Curry moved from Yellowknife.

"I remember he liked smoking his cigars. When he came to visit at the house he used to be allowed to smoke his big, stinky cigars. Nobody in the house really appreciated it," he said with a long laugh of endearment.

Curry had a large hand in writing his own obituary, which appears online and in the Globe and Mail. In it he states he lived in Yellowknife, Edmonton and Calgary until his retirement in Christina Lake, B.C. In the early 60s, he served as president of the Northwest Territories Liberal Party and as a member of the Yellowknife Public School Board.

The obituary speaks of his love for golf, stating that he never achieved his aspired level of proficiency but loved the camaraderie and was competitive to the end.

In his obituary, Curry left a personal message to his friends:

"To Earl's old buddies he wished to say 'farewell' and hoped that they would have one martini (at least) 'for the road!' As he often said 'it's been a helluva ride.'"

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