B Y P E T E R V I E L E
HONORING FAT H E R S A N D S O N S
BILL, JOSH AND CHRIS CURRY
Bill Curry with his sons, Josh (left) and Chris, at the 2011 Wrightsville Beach Biathlon.
BROTHERS Chris and Josh Curry carry a sense of
effortless grace, humility and good old-fashioned
Southern hospitality — a legacy imparted to
them, no doubt, by their father, Bill Curry, who
raised them in the crystalline waves of Wrights-ville
Beach. Born on the island himself, Bill developed an early
passion for surfing and became one of the original cultivators
of surfing culture here in the mid-’60s. Bill would end up
traveling around the world, competing and becoming not only
a decorated champion and an inductee into the East Coast
Surfing Hall Of Fame, but also an Iron Man and a seasoned
triathlete. With his roots firmly woven into Wrightsville Beach
and a health-conscious mindset, Bill, along with his wife,
Georgia, raised the two boys to be embedded into the same
lifestyle that he grew up in. “As a competitive surfer, it was the
same as a father who played baseball in junior high and then
started teaching his kids baseball — you want to see them get
the same thrill from the sport that you get. Georgia and I were
really blessed and fortunate to raise our kids on Wrightsville
Beach because they got to experience the ocean, the water life,
and the people.”
As young boys, Chris and Josh spent their days surfing, play-ing
on the beach, exploring the marsh and soaking in their
father’s knowledge that he accrued as an athlete. Eldest brother
professional photographer Josh recalls, “Healthy living was
ingrained in us but adventure is what dad gave me — the surf-seeking
spirit. Seeking out the ocean and understanding the dif-ferent
phases of it — paying attention to the weather. It’s a big
reason why I moved to California — to live that surfing lifestyle
he gave us. And now I’m carrying that on to my own son.”
WBM FILE PHOTO
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WBM june 2019