John Currie

John A. Currie, 91, passed away peacefully on Sunday, December 1, 2024 at his home in Deerfield, WI with family by his side. He was born in Madison, WI on June 12, 1933 to Elmer and Mary Jo (Bindl) Currie, the youngest of seven boys. Growing up in Madison during the Depression, he shared many stories of hardship such as being sent to pick up coal along the tracks that had fallen off railroad cars or burning the family dining room table in order to heat the house on cold winter nights. He also recounted many happy childhood stories of time spent with his brothers, diving for buried treasure along the cliffs of Lake Mendota and winning the city marble championship. He was raised in the Greenbush neighborhood with friends of all ethnicities, races and religions; he didn’t have a prejudiced bone in his body. 

Graduating in 1951, John attended Wisconsin High School where he lettered in football, basketball, and track. He continued his education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison majoring in art education, graduating in 1955. Upon graduation, he fulfilled his military service requirements with the United States Army. First Lieutenant Currie served as a military police officer in South Korea from 1955-57. He later attained the rank of Captain while serving in the Army Reserve.

In 1958 he married his first wife, Nancy Ford, and they returned to Madison to raise their family. John taught art in Madison public schools for 39 years, including 31 years at Madison Memorial High School. While at Memorial, he also served as head cross country and track coach, where his teams won four state championships.

In 1977, he and wife, Karen, made the move from Madison to their beloved 21 acre farm in Deerfield, WI, where he lived the life of a “gentleman farmer” entertaining friends, growing tomatoes, and tending to a menagerie of horses, dogs and cats. After retiring from teaching in 1998, he could often be found at many a local high school sporting event cheering on his grandchildren’s endeavors in swimming, basketball, baseball, track, and cross country. In his later years, John’s favorite spot was at home next to the wood-burning stove, with a cat on his lap, watching his beloved Badgers on television. John shared his love of art, his enthusiasm for Badger sports, and belief in the importance of education with his family and friends. We will miss him dearly.

His parents, parents-in-law, and brothers William, Bernard, Elmer Robert, Edward, Thomas, Harold and their wives, as well as his first wife, Nancy Ford Currie, preceded him in death.

He is survived by his wife, Karen, children from his first marriage, Monique (Eric Callisto), Tamara (Erik Dasbach), Jon (Jody), Sean (Susie) and grandchildren: Gianna and Declan Callisto; Marika, Sepp (Jackie), and Stefan (Anna) Dasbach; Jake and Olivia Currie; Sydney and Spencer Currie; Michael Lane and many dear nieces and nephews and their families. He is further survived by sisters- and brothers-in-law Caroline Currie, David (Laurie) Sund, Rick (Gail) Sund, Thomas Sund, and Barbara (Mitch) Despen, and their son, Adam, as well as by many good friends.

A celebration of John’s life is planned for spring 2025. For more about the event, please email mcurrie0505@gmail.com or karjac49@gmail.com or sbcurrie85@gmail.com. Memorials may be made to Agrace Hospice, Angels Wish or Madison Memorial High School Athletics, 201 S Gammon Rd, Madison, WI 53717, checks to “Madison Memorial Athletics”, adding “In memory of John Currie track” (or cross country) in memo field.