Stan & Sula McCurdy
A family history, in their own words
Stan
- Born
- January 27, 1938, at home in Chattanooga, Tennessee
- Parents
- Wendell McCurdy and Grace McCurdy
- Service
- U.S. Air Force, 1957–1961, aircraft mechanic
- First marriage
- Lavonda, 1961, in Eastland, Texas
- Second marriage
- Sula
- 1938
Born in Chattanooga
Stan was born at home in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on January 27, 1938, to Wendell and Grace McCurdy. Wendell's side of the family were Methodists, and they went to the Methodist church out on the farm.
- Growing up
South Seminole
After his first year, the family settled on South Seminole in Chattanooga, and that's where Stan grew up, living there until 1957. Despite being a Tennessee boy, he was never much of a Vols football fan.
- 1957–1961
Air Force aircraft mechanic
Stan served four years in the U.S. Air Force, from 1957 to 1961. His mechanical aptitude scores on the military entrance test put him to work as an aircraft mechanic, and that mechanical skill stayed with him for life. He was stationed in Abilene, Texas, and went on temporary duty (TDY) to Guam, where he had a private room instead of the barracks. As the Navy guys liked to say, the Air Force always had it easier.
- Abilene
Meeting Lavonda
While stationed in Abilene, Stan met his first wife, Lavonda, at church. She was a student at Abilene Christian College and came from the small West Texas town of Eastland, and it was through her that Stan came to the Church of Christ.
- 1961
Fernandina Beach, Florida
When his service ended, Stan didn't know exactly where he'd go, but he knew it wasn't back to Chattanooga, which he remembers as a dirty city. Friends Charlie and Evelyn Brewer were living in Fernandina Beach, Florida, so that's where he went. He went to work with Charlie in construction, building houses.
- 1961
Married in Eastland
Stan and Lavonda were married in 1961 in her hometown of Eastland, Texas.
- Working years
Carpenter, and on to college
Stan worked as a carpenter: hard, physical work where getting banged up was part of the job, and he was tough enough not to make much of it. When someone told him he'd never get further in school, a Mr. Wilson encouraged him otherwise. Stan took the tests, and his scores got him into college with no problem at all.
Sula
Sula is Stan's second wife, pictured with him at the top of this page. Her story is coming soon.
More of their story is being added.