Verdaine S. (Sanders) Curry

Home Going Celebration For

Verdaine Sanders Curry
Sunrise for God’s daughter, Verdaine Sanders, was March 25, 1922 in South Coffeyville, Oklahoma.  She was first born of the four children of Mark Sanders and Mamie Whitmire Sanders.  The family moved to Kansas City as her father began working for Santa Fe Railroad and her mother established a cosmetology business.  Always a great student, Verdaine graduated from Sumner High School in 1939 and the University of Kansas in 1943, and began her teaching career in the Kansas City, Kansas public schools.  While at KU, she met her love and husband of 51 years (when his death ended their earthly love story), Theodore Dwight Hillis Curry, her beloved “T.”  T was drafted during World War II and upon his discharge, they were secretly married.  This allowed Verdaine to continue teaching, since the Kansas City Kansas schools did not allow married women to be teachers at that time. 
 
Upon his return from the Army, T and Verdaine moved to Denver, CO, where T finished his degree at the University of Denver.  From there they moved to Shamrock, Texas to serve as the two-person team of principal and teacher of the city’s only African American school.  It was there that their oldest son, Theodore H. Curry, II (Terry) was born.  In 1951 they returned to Kansas City where their second son, Mark Milton Curry was born.  In 1955 Verdaine began her teaching career with the Kansas City, Missouri school district where she taught elementary school until her retirement in 1987.  Thousands of young people learned not only to read, write, and do arithmetic because of Mrs. Curry, but she also helped them on their journey to become responsible and contributing adults. 
 
The job that she did best and loved the most was being wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and aunt. Her home was always a gathering place where the love was always flowing.  Verdaine was an extraordinary cook, with recipes featured in the Kansas City Star and cookbooks.  She and her sister Nadine were best of friends as long as they both lived, traveling the country and world, playing bridge or other card games.  She was the big sister to her brothers Buddy (Margul) and Joon (Mark) and there was nothing they all enjoyed more than telling stories about growing up in Oklahoma and Argentine.  In addition to her two sons, she was “Nanny” to her three grandchildren, Rion, Shay, and Victoria.  No sons had a better mother; no grandchildren had a better grandmother.
 
Verdaine was loved by her many friends, some of those friendships beginning at Northeast Junior High School or before.  She was a shopper extraordinaire with a magnificent sense of style.  Her ability to find the perfect gift with the perfect fit for her loved ones was truly amazing.  Between traveling, bridge, club meetings, shopping, church activities, and caring for the family she adored, she was far busier after she retired.  She was a member of the Royal Trumps and Bids (bridge clubs), PM Interludes, Calleyettes, and No-Name Poker Club.  She was a charter member of the Kansas City, KS chapter of Jack and Jill, Inc.  She was competitive and passionate, whether playing bridge, which she loved and reached Diamond status, or playing Crazy Eights with her grandchildren. 
And she loved her God and her church, Second Baptist, which she joined after returning to Kansas City in 1951.  She was active and faithful until her health made it impossible to regularly attend.
 
Sunset came for Verdaine on August 24, 2018 when the Lord called her home.  She is survived by her sons Terry (Anne) and Mark (Marsha); grandchildren Rion Scott Curry, Shay Martin Curry, and Victoria Briana Pope Curry; her brother Mark Sanders, Jr., who moved in with her and cared for her until the end, and a host of nieces and nephews.  Our family is immensely grateful for the love, and care that Toni Pledger has provided for our mother over the past years. 
 
During her lifetime Verdaine has shared much love, support and laughter with family and friends.  For that, her family would like to thank you.  Our mother had a very good life because she had courage and faith in the Lord.  When He asked for her hand, she graciously surrendered.  We will miss Mommie, Nanny, terribly, but knowing that she is in a better place -- with our dad, her sister, brother, parents, and safe in the arms of the Lord -- will help us endure and accept this loss.  We will Love you forever!

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