Idell Blackmon Mccurley

December 16, 1920 - April 7, 2016

Idell Blackmon McCurley was born on the family farm near Merryville, Louisiana, to James Clark and Roxie (Whiddon) Blackmon on December 26, 1920. She passed away on April 7, 2016, in Austin, Texas.

Idell’s visitation will be Monday, April 11 from 6-8pm and her funeral will be Tuesday, April 12 at 1:00pm both at Myers Colonial Funeral Home in DeRidder, Louisiana. The burial will be in Cannon Cemetery, Merryville, Louisiana.

While attending Merryville High School, she met Barney McCurley. They later were married January 9, 1941, while Barney was working as a city surveyor for DeRidder, Louisiana. Barney joined the US Navy and left for the Pacific Theatre during WWII with the Seabees. On his return home, using the skills he learned during the war, he was hired by Sun Oil Company Seismograph Division. During that employment, Idell and Barney moved to 58 towns before retirement. In each location, Idell made a home for her husband while raising two daughters. Her first priorities were to get her girls in school and to find a church.

Retiring to DeRidder was a lifelong goal. In addition to being active in First Baptist Church, Idell was in Eastern Star and part of the support group for the Masonic and Lions Club projects and activities. Since she was a great cook, everyone wanted her to be involved. Fourteen years after Barney’s death, Idell moved to a retirement community in Austin, Texas to be close to one of her daughters.

She is survived by daughters Nelda (Ken) Helt of Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Hilda (David) Harnden, of Austin, Texas, grandchildren Sheri (Jacob) Helt of Oklahoma City, and Clint (Sandra) Harnden and great-granddaughter Kennedy of College Station, Texas. She was predeceased by son Barney Sherrell McCurley, husband Barney McCurley, two brothers Jay Blackmon, John Blackmon, and five sisters Lillie Kidder, Goldie Mahoney, Florine Starks, Lottie Calaway, and Octavia Hickman.