Norman curry's funeral eulogy 2

Funeral of Norman Curry 21 July 2015

I present this sermon with much help from Norman’s family and it is from their perspective and the perspective of the Vicar of Holy Trinity Kew that I speak to you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

We gather here today to give thanks for the life and ministry of Norman George Curry and to grieve with those who knew and loved him. Our prayers are particularly with his family including Alice, Jim, Kevin; Marion, Lesley and Julie; Sean, Daniel and Siobhan. Norman now joins his beloved wife Nancy, their daughter Felicity, and his niece Heather in the arms of our Heavenly Father. Born in 1931, Norman Curry made tremendous contributions to Victoria’s education system and theological training in Australia, all the while acting as a faithful ordained Anglican priest and servant of the Church.

Norman grew up in the Anglican Church and his mother was deeply involved in the Mother’s Union. Norman married into a Methodist family, his father-in- law being The Reverend Victor Pringle Oliphant Batt. Norman’s grandfather was an eminent Melbourne builder and Norman’s father joined the family firm. Unfortunately, few people wanted buildings erected during the Depression. Norm often said he was “a Depression baby”. He was educated in the state system, fortunate to attend Melbourne High School, and he then proved to be a brilliant student, gaining two Exhibitions at Matriculation at the age of 16. He fondly recalled that he was a Commissioned Officer in the cadets and played hockey in the school team with great aplomb. He went to “the University” (at the time there was only the University of Melbourne) and his subjects were History and English. After his Honours Degree in 1950 he took the Diploma of Education, culminating in a Bachelor of Education in 1957, a Masters of Education in 1965 and a Ph.D. conferred by the University of London in 1968.

At “The Shop”, as Melbourne University was known, he joined the Student Christian Movement (SCM), and it was in this way that he became friendly with Nancy.

Norman worked during the university semester breaks (not so common in those days) saying he wanted to be able to marry and provide a home for his wife. They were married at about the age of 21 and Nancy became an Anglican and, yes, young people will find this hard to believe, they moved straight into their own home in Canterbury.

Apart from his time studying in London, Norman lived only in Canterbury and Kew. After his Diploma of Education year he was appointed to Camberwell High School and joined the illustrious list of staff who have taught there. But before long he was called to University High School (UHS and Melbourne University collaborating in securing Norman’s talents). So began the process of his being offered jobs or being asked to apply for them. The Department of Education agreed he could run the University’s Method of Religious Education subject, as long as this was outside of

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school hours; so Norman’s history of doing multiple jobs at the same time began. If he was not the first person to teach Film Appreciation in our high schools he would have to have been among the first to do so.

Multiple loyalties . . . Norman always honoured Melbourne Boys High School but he ‘loved’ University High School. Norman’s Education Thesis was on Education on the Goldfields and perhaps this engendered his love of country towns: Castlemaine and Ararat in Victoria; Robe in South Australia. His doctoral thesis was on Bishop James Moorhouse (1826 –1915). He took up a place on the staff of the Secondary Teacher’s College before moving full-time to the University’s Faculty of Education in 1959.

Here someone noticed he had an administrative and scholarly flair and he was appointed Sub-Dean of the Faculty. Following this he became vice-principal of Melbourne State College and then the head of Toorak State College based in the stunning grounds of Stonnington.

These were turbulent times in education, Teachers’ Colleges were transformed into State Colleges and then into one college where Norman headed the new arrangements.

Following another administrative change he became head of all the State’s Colleges of Advanced Education based at Invergowrie from 1977–1981.

Norman and Nancy enjoyed offering hospitality and entertaining, and large gatherings were held at Stonnington and also their homes in Kew and McCrae. For one evening at Kew Norman himself made 13 Pavlovas. Norman and Nancy loved collecting.

Their commemorative china and silver (some now housed in St Paul’s Cathedral) and royalty china were great interests. They loved travel and would come home not only with bulging packets, luggage, trunks but even cases – packing cases!

Norman is noted for his outstanding services to many organisations including the Duke of Edinburgh Awards, the Library Council of Victoria and the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Society.

Norman became Director General of Education for Victoria from 1982–1985. One lovely thing for him in these roles was the close association he had with the State Library of Victoria with its stunning Reading Room. He continued to be a loyal member of the Friends of the Baillieu Library. Norman had a long friendship with Trinity Grammar and was invited to join the Councils of St Catherine’s (1994–2000) and Scotch College (1989–2003), where he was elected unanimously as ViceChairman of the School Council at the end of 1995 which was a recognition of his leadership attributes and of the great respect which he enjoyed from his colleagues on the Council. He worked hard for chaplains in State schools and in this regard was associated with Kew High School.

Norman’s dedication to theological education was inestimable. He was President of the Melbourne College of Divinity from 1995 to 1997, having been a member of the College since 1973. During his time as President of the MCD (now the University of

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Divinity), Norman was privileged to confer the degree of Doctor of Sacred Theology on William Deane, the Governor-General. This act was symbolic of his vision for what the College should aspire to hold in Australian society. As President, Norman was critically involved in the evolution of the institution’s governance and reputation that played a significant part in the College’s attainment of University status in 2012. The College recognised this achievement early on when he was awarded the Degree of Doctor of Sacred Theology (Honoris Causa) in 2000 for his “vision of theological education which honours God and serves the community”.

All of this followed his unsurpassed years of service to St Paul’s Cathedral from 1961 to 1999 as Associate Priest, Minor Canon and acting Dean of Melbourne. Early on in Norman’s life The Reverend Dr Canon Stuart Barton Babbage AM (1916–2012) and Archbishop Frank Woods (1907–1992) were guiding lights and of great influence.

Norman also acted as locum at St John’s Heidelberg, St John’s Toorak, twice at St John’s Camberwell and lastly at St James and St Peter Anglican Church KilsythMontrose among many other priestly roles.

While Norman was an unwavering Anglican, he clearly loved the church universal and was committed to the ecumenical movement long before it was necessary to even mention such things. He had deep and lasting friendships with Father Donald Cave SSS (1922-1999) and The Reverend Dr Davis McCaughey (1914–2005). He welcomed those from the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community for Norman didn’t need a theological or political position to inform him of what grace is like. He treated people as he found them with an inclusive magnanimity. As Associate Priest, and locum, at Holy Trinity Kew he helped successive Vicars in a fruitful and much-loved ministry to the parish. The people of Holy Trinity Kew will miss his insights, his grace and intellect deeply.

Norman served the University of Melbourne in his position as Deputy Chancellor for a decade from 1994 to 2004, but he continued until even this year in his dedication to the welfare of staff and students from his positions in every area of theological and secular education. The Norman Curry Award for Innovation and Excellence in Education Programs, instituted in 2004, aims to continue his legacy and dedication towards Victorian Education. Upon his retirement the University awarded him an honorary doctorate.

In an earlier time when Sir Zelman Cowan was sent by the University of Melbourne to celebrations at Georgetown University in Washington DC, Norman went as his aidede-camp. Norman loved to travel within the United States ever since he was one of two Australian representatives chosen to attend the New York Herald Tribune forum at the age of 16 in New York. In his last illness, he sometimes thought he was once again in America. In 1997, Norman was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia “in recognition of [his] eminent public service and outstanding cultural achievement”.

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The phrase from scripture “In the fullness of time” from St Paul’s letter to the Galatians (4:4) comes to mind as we pray and give thanks for Norman. His was a long, fruitful and full life, the biblical four score and more. Even as we gather with sadness and shock at his sudden death, that sadness is shot through with a deep serenity and great gratitude for his life. And we can say before God that we are thankful to have known Norman George Curry and we are thankful to God for revealing something of himself through him. For in the goodness of every human being, there is another if different revelation of God, incomplete, flawed, but nonetheless a mirror of his love.

Why as I said is our mourning mingled with such quiet gratitude today? Because we have been in the presence of a priest and teacher who with all the usual human frailties, has given us a glimpse of God. Norman would have been taught in his upbringing in the Anglican Church that we are here in this life to echo the life of Christ, to grow in wisdom and age like him, to reach out like him in healing to the wounded of the world, to love children, to have compassion on the weak and suffering, to make our hearts known to our friends, to take up our crosses, to forgive others and to be forgiven and to have the courage to oppose evil…. That litany could continue, but these facets of Christ himself are alive for us today because we have seen them in the life and love of Norman Curry. Through a long priestly life Norman learnt from God to let go of himself and to live for and with others. And now he has let go finally.

Our consolation today comes from gratitude for Norman, for God in him, for God in his priesthood. Christ seen through him. But our real consolation comes in as the poet Wordsworth (1) described it as “the faith that looks through death” in the hope that gathers us here, the hope that as Norman shared in Christ’s way of life, and now shares his death, so he will also belong with Christ in his new life. We cannot understand that hope and yet we can have it. We cannot always explain that faith and yet it makes sense to our hearts today. We cannot put words on that love of God and yet when we have seen it in a person’s life and death, we too are able to recognise it, and to say a deeper and more grateful “yes” to God. I have a message for anyone here today who may be wondering about the priesthood. I know Norman would expect me to tell you today, “It’s worth it all!”

Norman, our prayer for you now is that you will soon understand in more ways, than you ever could in this life, just how worth it, your priesthood was. We also hope you will be able to understand exactly what you meant to us especially for the times we could never find the right words to adequately tell you. Every time you went to the Altar to celebrate Holy Communion. It was worth it!

Every time you came to this pulpit of Holy Trinity Kew and many others to strengthen our faith. It was worth it! Every time you showed us the way back to our true home through your ministry of reconciliation. It was worth it! Every time you helped somebody in need. It was worth it! Every time you offered us a word of encouragement, admonished us, laughed with us, wept with us, and gave us hope.

Norman, it was worth it!

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We hope and trust that our Heavenly Father will mercifully receive you and look upon all of the worthy things you did for the State of Victoria, for the Anglican Church in Melbourne and further abroad because of your priesthood, and give you more than enough joy to last an eternity. Amen.

Fr Robert Newton 21/07/2015 Vicar Holy Trinity Kew 1) William Wordsworth [1770–1850], “Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood”, 536 Ode, The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900, Arthur Quiller-Couch ed. 1919.)

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