Edward Robert Currie

Edward Robert Currie, age 68, of Jacksonville, Florida, died at his home in Jacksonville with family present on April 6, 2024. Ed was born in Jacksonville, Florida to Edward Theodore Currie and Josephine “Oonagh” Bowling Currie. Ed was married to the love of his life, Vicki Baker Currie, who predeceased him in 2007.

After graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi with a degree in Resource Management, Ed began his career with the Mobile District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Ed first served as a Park Technician at Okatibbee Lake, near Meridian, Mississippi, in 1984. In 1985, he transferred to Lake Sidney Lanier, Buford, Georgia, as a Park Ranger, where he remained until 1989. He was promoted to Chief Ranger, Lake Seminole, Chattahoochee, Florida, from 1989 to 1991. Ed accepted a temporary assignment at US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Headquarters in Washington, DC, where he helped establish the Environmental Compliance Program for the Corps of Engineers. In 1992, he transferred to the Jacksonville District as a Biologist, and eventually became the first Environmental Compliance Coordinator (ECC) for the Jacksonville District Corps of Engineers. He continued in that capacity until his retirement in July 2014. Ed was very active with the USACE’s emergency response missions and served in missions to support blue roof and hurricane recovery. While serving as the ECC for Jacksonville District, he continued to support national initiatives for USACE ECC programs and he served on the board of the Northeast Florida Association of Environmental Professionals throughout his career. In addition, he assisted with development of their annual meetings with continuing education programs and served as treasurer from 2008 to 2009.

Ed loved fishing in and traveling to the Mobile-Tensas River Delta in Alabama, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Panama, the Bahamas, the Florida Keys, and other tropical places. He enjoyed reading the newspaper daily and doing the crossword puzzle, watching Jeopardy, The Price is Right, MASH, and grammatically correcting his friends. If the crossword puzzle was done, he had time for word jumbles and reading the rest of the Jacksonville Times Union. His command of English, dry humor, and quick wit will be remembered. He loved good music, good drinks, and spending time with good friends. He particularly enjoyed his time spent with friends and chosen family at European Street Café in San Marco in seat 62. He also loved good jokes, wordplay, mondegreens, collard greens, and potted meat, especially Spam. He had a generous heart and a deep and lasting love for his wife Vicki, who preceded him in death.

Ed was known as the ultimate curmudgeon by those that knew him and many that did not. However, those that truly knew him recognized his charitable ways through his collection of hats, calendars, stuffed animals, and tote bags. They knew that he donated to every cause or charity he felt needed it and was doing good for the environment or the underprivileged. Many thought he did not enjoy kids, but he was great with kids and many were drawn to his laugh and jokes. He always looked out for his friends and those that needed things more than him, from his washer and dryer to a cold drink. He was always there for friends when they needed to talk, as long as they also wanted his opinion on the matter.

Surviving family members include his lovely sister, Oonagh Currie Nechodom (Paul) of Brandon Florida, his nephew Doug Nechodom, of Vernal, Utah, his nieces Teresa Gurney Meador (Eric) of Okinawa, Japan, Angela Gurney Reid (Bryan) of Centennial, Colorado, Jennifer Gurney Perkins of Gunnison, Colorado, and nephew Denis Gurney (Ralene) of Castle Rock, Colorado, as well as many extended and chosen family members. He was predeceased in death by his parents, his sister, Anita Currie Gurney (Glenn) of Blanding, Utah, and his niece Andrea Nechodom Hall (Cameron) of Brandon, Florida.

The family would like to express their appreciation to Community Hospice and Cornerstone Caregiving for their recent kind and compassionate care of Ed at his home.

The celebration of life service will be held Saturday, April 27th at 2:00pm at Hardage Giddens Funeral Home in Mandarin at 11801 San Jose Boulevard, Jacksonville, Florida, 32223. Proper attire will include fishing shirts, Hawaiian or tropical shirts, Life Is Good or other T-shirts, spring dresses, jeans, shorts, flip-flops, or whatever makes you comfortable. Ed loved the tropics, from Central America to the Bahamas, and he will be joining Vicki, and cats Fred, Ethel, and Hooter Cat in Green Turtle Cay as the final cheers of his life.