Gundelind Marie Curry

February 12, 1940 – December 30, 2025

Gundelind Marie Curry, beloved mother and devoted disciple of God, made the journey to Heaven on December 30th, 2025.  Born on February 12, 1940 in Castrop-Rauxel, Germany … as a young child she became a refugee in her own country.  After surviving the massive bombing of the Allied troops as well as the Russian Army, young Gundelind overcame adversity by pursuing an elite education, though her family home was destroyed and money was little if nonexistent. This education opened the door to her attending top German Universities.

In 1964 Gundelind left Germany on a ship bound for the United States to reunite with my father Sammie Lynn Curry in Sacramento, Ca.  They met in Germany where he was stationed as a soldier in the US Air Force.  Both of my parents were colorblind when it came to love.  They were married at a time when Interracial Marriage was illegal in the United States (California was the first state where a court struck down its ban on interracial marriage in 1948).

Motherhood soon followed when Gundelind gave birth to her son Rodney Achim Curry.  Early days as a family in Sacramento was not easy, with economic struggles and a stint living in public housing. But eventually, Sammie successfully transitioned from an 18 year career serving in the Air Force … to becoming the first Black man hired by Farmer’s Insurance in the city of Sacramento. In 1972 my parents were able to purchase a beautiful home in the Greenhaven area and Mother remained there for the rest of her life.

Gundelind next attained her Masters degree in German from CSUS and began teaching High School foreign languages in 1968.  She taught not one, two or three languages; she taught four languages (Latin, French, Spanish and German) during her 33 year career, the final 18 years of it at Bella Vista.  Her students loved, loved her as much for her care and focus on students learning as for her stylish French inspired style of dress.  She gave everything she had to her profession.  She routinely took her students on field trips to German bookstores, restaurants and the Goethe Institute in San Francisco.  Later in her career when students en masse began to no longer take Latin, French and German … instead favoring Spanish … Mom, after returning home from school each day … would in the evenings head to Sacramento City College to learn Spanish.  Immersing herself in the Mexican/Spanish culture was so important to her that one summer she lived with a family for many weeks in Pueblo, Mexico.  Many of her Spanish students came to learn about Dia De Los Muertos, Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and so much more from the field trips they took with her to the Bay Area, Fresno and beyond.

Gundelind retired from teaching in 2001 and shortly thereafter devoted portions of the next 15+ years of her life to the church.  At Saint Anthony’s she sat on the Pastoral Council, helped teach Bible Study and faithfully brought the Body of Christ each Sunday to the in-firmed.   She often shared with me her experiences during this time; how fulfilling it was to her … to give to others on behalf of God.  Thank you Mother for the example you provided me in these ways and all ways.

Gundelind is survived by son Rodney Curry, nieces Andrea Köstër and Astrid Waider, nephew Mark Waider, Sister in Law Irmgard Waider and her dear friend Al Berkowitz.  She is pre-deceased by ex-husband Sammie Curry, her father Johann Waider, her mother Maria Schenzny, her brother Achim Waider, and her Aunt Carola Roggenkamp.

Born during an Autocratic, Nazi regime … Gundelind deeply cared about Democracy and valued Democratic Norms being fought for and maintained.  Securing and then protecting the truth being shared within and beyond our country … Democracy has no chance without this.  Donations made in her name to National Public Radio and/or The Public Broadcasting Service would make her smile. 

We will all remember Gundelind for her relentlessness, individualism, frugality, and her tireless devotion to education and world politics. Many would say … but of course Gundelind is the way she is … she’s German!!!  And oh were they right!  Though life was not always easy … thank you Mother for all you did to create a stable and loving home. For instilling in us all the importance of being a citizen of the world.  You will be deeply missed, forever loved and never forgotten.

Services for Gundelind

Memorial Mass
Thursday, January 22, 2026
10:00A.M.
St. Anthony Parish
660 Florin Road, Sacramento, CA 95831