James Beals Currell, 84, of Melvin Village, NH, died early Saturday morning January 14, 2012. Born April 15, 1927 in Woburn Massachusetts, he was the beloved son of the late Harold Beals and Gertrude (Downing) Currell, and brother of the late Thelma Currell. James was raised in Reading, MA and graduated from Reading High School in 1945. He served in the Navy and received three medals of Honor as a Tail Gunner aboard the USS Kadashan Bay, the USS Marcus Island and the USS New Mexico.
He attended Boston University and Franklin Institute. He then worked in Boston for HW MacLeod and later relocated to Bernardsville, NJ and worked for eight years for Hatfield Wire & Cable. He then moved his family to Moorestown, New Jersey and went on to be Founder and President of JB Currell & Assoc. for thirty-five years. Jim was a member of Meadowbrook Country Club in Reading MA; Riverton Country Club Cinnaminson NJ; Bald Peak Country Club in Moultonborough NH; Kingswood Golf Club in Wolfeboro NH and Pelican Bay Country Club in Daytona Beach FL.
Jim & his wife Nancy retired to their vacation home in Melvin Village NH where they enjoyed 45 years of festive Fourth of July parties and the Big Bang of the Currell Cannon that rocked Melvin Bay. Jim loved every sunrise and sunset. He had a passion for boating and water sports that he passed on to his children. After retiring in 1990, Jim and Nancy divided their time between summering in Melvin Village NH and wintering in Daytona Beach FL.
James is survived by his wife of 57 years, Nancy (Baker) Currell, and their six children: Cynthia Grigel and husband James Grigel of East Thetford VT, Lauren Currell of Palm Beach FL; Nancy Jeanne Currell of Saugus MA, James B. Currell, Jr. and wife Kimberly (Shansby) Currell of Holderness NH & Moorestown, NJ; Tracey Hart and husband Paul Hart of Philadelphia PA, and Suzanne Currell of Moorestown NJ. James is also survived by nine grandchildren : Jacqueline Currell; Shannen Currell; Branden Reeves; Cole Reeves, James B. Currell III, Alexandra Currell, Amanda Currell, Haley Grigel and Roswell Currell.
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, January 21 at 1PM at the Melvin Village Community Church, 476 Governor Wentworth Highway, Melvin Village, NH 03850. Relatives and friends kindly invited. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jim’s memory may be made to: Melvin Village Community Church; Huggins Hospital or the Wounded Warriors Project Organization.