Curnyn, Mary-Ellin
CURNYN, Mary-Ellin Browne
Mary-Ellin Browne Curnyn, 85, of Atlanta, Georgia, passed away peacefully in her home of 50 years on June 20, 2023.
Mary-Ellin was born in New York, New York on May 27, 1938, the third of seven children to John F. X. and Marie Mulcahy Browne who preceded her in death. Her sisters, Patricia Reisert (Bob) and Theresa Logan (Don); and sister-in-law, Kay Mullen Browne survive her (John F.X). Her brothers, John F. X. and Joseph; and sisters, Nancy and Kathy Browne also preceded her in death.
She attended Sacred Heart Academy in Hempstead, New York, where she graduated in 1958 and then went on to Boston College, where she graduated in 1962 with a BA in English and Education. Upon graduation, she and dear friend, Kay Merriweather Guilmet drove across the country together in a VW Beetle to see the United States. Upon their return, Mary-Ellin taught primary and middle-school on Long Island and eventually in Boston. There she met the late James A. Curnyn, and they married in 1965 in Cedarhurst, New York. While Jim was pursuing his career in construction and development, they moved from Boston, MA to Cleveland, Ohio and finally to Atlanta in 1974, where Mary-Ellin dutifully raised her four children who survive her, Peter F. Curnyn (Sandrine) of Atlanta, GA, Meg Curnyn Wilkinson (John) of Charlotte, NC, Kristen M. Curnyn of Evanston, IL, and J. Andrew Curnyn (Elizabeth) of Hermosa Beach, CA.
She adored and was adored by her grandchildren, Molly of Nashville, TN, and Sally Wilkinson of Charlotte, NC, Louis and Julia Curnyn of Atlanta, GA and Ronan Curnyn of Hermosa Beach, CA. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews.
Mary-Ellin was very active in the lives of her children and their extracurricular activities be it swimming, tennis, dance, theater, piano, soccer, football and the list goes on. She deemed herself a "domestic engineer". Mary-Ellin was a faithful parishioner of St. Jude the Apostle Catholic Church in Sandy Springs, GA, and All Saints Catholic Church in Dunwoody, GA. She taught Sunday School (CCD) at St. Jude's for many years. In addition, she taught English as a second language to parishioners as well as at Dekalb Community College. Whatever she pursued, she did it with perfection. As her children became adults, Mary-Ellin worked for Harry Norman Realtors in relocation and at Atlanta College proctoring standardized testing.
As Mary-Ellin was a proud Irish American it is only fitting to say:
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
The rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet
Again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
Mary-Ellin will be interred with her family in their family burial plot on Long Island, New York, and a Mass to celebrate her life will be held in the spring of 2024. Arrangements are made by H. M. Patterson & Son - Oglethorpe in Atlanta.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to The Saint Vincent de Paul Society, ,2050-C Chamblee Tucker Road, Atlanta, GA 30341 or to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, National Office 4550 Montgomery Avenue, Suite 1100N Bethesda, MD 20814, in memory of Mary-Ellin Curnyn.
