The Honorable John Brooks Curry II, 70, of Waynesboro, Virginia, passed away unexpectedly at his home on Sunday, February 1, 2015.

The son of the late John Brooks and Ruth (Phillips) Curry, he was born in Waynesboro, Virginia on April 1, 1944.

He was a graduate of Waynesboro High School, and attended Bridgewater College and Virginia Commonwealth University, where he earned a degree in Business Management.

He attended law school at Memphis State University, where he was president of the student bar and earned a Juris Doctorate degree. Later he became city attorney for two localities, Clifton Forge and Covington, as well as assistant commonwealth attorney, while practicing civil and criminal law.

He became a Virginia Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Judge in 1980, and served on the bench for 23 years. For six of those years, he served as chief judge of the 25th Judicial Circuit that serves Waynesboro, Staunton and Augusta County. He retired from the bench in 2003. Most recently, he worked as Founder and CEO of Blue Ridge Mediation.

Curry dedicated his life to community service, including serving as former President of the Waynesboro Rotary Club, as well as a board member of the Wayne Theater Alliance, the SPCA, and the Salvation Army. He was also involved in Renewing Homes of Greater Augusta, the Boys and Girls Club, CASA, the YMCA, the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Program, and was a member of the Stonewall Jackson Boy Scout Council.

In addition, Curry served as former President of the Bridgewater College Alumni Association.

In the past few years, he was selected to judge student mediators in mock trials at the University of Richmond Law School.

He is survived by his wife, Theresa Elizabeth Curry of Waynesboro and three daughters; Jennifer Curry Hollar, esq., of Raleigh, North Carolina and her mother, Cynthia Hollar of Florida; as well as Amanda Brooks Curry Graziano and husband, John, of Richmond, Rachael Curry Neckowitz, and husband, Aaron, of Staunton, their mother, Sandra Morris Curry, of Waynesboro; stepchildren, Jesse Reynolds and his wife, Autumn, of Palmyra, and Grace Reynolds of Charlottesville. He is also survived by his loving grandchildren John Brooks (Jack) Graziano, Wilson Tyler Graziano, Belle Carson Neckowitz, Porter Jacob Neckowitz and step grandchildren, Zella Reynolds Lund, Schuyler Reynolds, Daake Browne, Jaden Reynolds, Robert (Z) Reynolds, and Chloe Reynolds.

Curry is also survived by siblings Emily Leap and her husband, Steve, of Mathews, and Richard Curry and his wife, Jeannie, of Waynesboro.

He was preceded in death by a sister, Mariam McCollum. Surviving also is Mariam's husband, Mac of North Carolina; uncles, William Phillips, of Georgia, and John Phillips of Maryland, and an aunt, Dolly Sparks, of South Carolina; seven loved nephews and nieces, and many cousins he adored.

There will be a celebration of life service at 11 a.m. on Friday, February 6, 2015, at Main Street United Methodist Church in Waynesboro. The family will also receive visitors Thursday, February 5, 2015, from 6-8 p.m. at Reynolds Hamrick Funeral Home in Waynesboro. Burial will be private. Following the service the family will receive friends at a reception in the church social hall.

Memorial donations may be made to the Wayne Theater Alliance at 533 West Main Street in Waynesboro, Virginia, the Augusta Regional SPCA at 33 Archery Lane in Staunton, Virginia, and CASA at 119 West Frederick St. in Staunton, Virginia.

Curry was a man of enormous compassion, dedicated to justice and community service. He will be missed.

Relatives and friends may share condolences and memories with the family online by visiting www.reynoldshamrickfuneralhomes.com.