William B. Curran

William (Bill) Barger Curran passed away at the age of 72 on Monday, March 31, 2014, at Emeritus Senior Living in Greenville, South Carolina surrounded by all four of his children. He died of complications from Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, an aggressive form of Parkinson ’s disease, which he bravely fought for four years.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 5, 2014, at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Greensboro, NC, with a reception to follow. An internment will take place later that afternoon at Westminster Gardens.

Bill was born on December 5, 1941, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the eldest son of the late Daniel C. Curran, Sr. and the late Lois B. Curran. He grew up in Greensboro, North Carolina and graduated from Guilford College in 1963 where he was a member of the Guilford basketball team.

After graduation, Bill joined the Office Products Division of IBM as a salesman. In 1967, he was named IBM’s national salesman of the year. Building on his sales success, Bill moved to Atlanta, GA in 1969 to form his own company, Curran Associates, Inc., as a manufacturers representative to the design trade. He traveled many miles in his gray Volkswagon station wagon, which often served as his night’s lodging, representing multiple design manufacturer lines, including Wildwood Lamps, Basic Furniture Styles (the upholstered furniture company his father started), and Lee Jofa Fabrics. In just one year, he grew the company and moved from a single, small room showroom on Pharr Road in Buckhead to the prominent front entrance location of ADAC, Atlanta Decorative Arts Center. The company, which became Curran Designer Fabrics and Furniture, experienced great success, and Bill, taking a big risk at the time, made a move to Miami Circle, becoming the first established business in what is now considered one of the premier design districts of Atlanta.

Bill was an active member of Rotary International and dedicated his life to generously providing for family, friends, and those in need.

Bill is survived by his four children: Kelly C. Johnson and husband, Eric, of Atlanta, GA; Dr. William “Bill” Curran and wife, Michelle, of Simpsonville, SC; Dr. Susan C. Satterfield and husband, Dr. Bryan, of Greenville, SC; and Heather A. Curran of Denver, Colorado. He is also survived by five grandchildren: Caleb and Luke Johnson, Sylvie and Maeve Satterfield, and William Curran; sister, Lois Curran Powers, of High Point, NC; brother, Daniel “Dan” C. Curran, of Greensboro, NC; and brother Richard “Dick” James Curran of Shrewsbury, PA.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to CurePSP, the Foundation for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy: www.psp.org. The family would like to thank the entire staff at Emeritus Senior Living at Greenville for their excellent care and compassion. We love you, Dad.

Online condolences may be made at www.haneslineberryfuneralhomes.com