James Curran, helped draft county charter
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James Patrick Curran, a Kent Valley lawyer who with other elected Freeholders in the late 1960s drafted the current King County Charter, strove to give back to his community and profession.
During his seven years on the Kent City Council in the 1950s, he helped secure for its residents what daughter Maureen Curry of Kent calls "the sweetest water around, from Rock Creek in Maple Valley."
As president of the South King County Bar Association in the early 1960s, he set an example with his ethics and expertise, advocating attorney accountability and civic involvement.
In 1970, when he ran unsuccessfully for the State Senate, he refused, as he said, "to clutter" the environment with yard signs. And in the mid-1970s he helped found Kent Valley Market - once a Saturday event for farmers and artisans, now a daily attraction.
Mr. Curran died Jan. 30 of Alzheimer's disease. He was 82.
"He loved to boat and camp, so the environment was always one of his main interests," his daughter said. "We had a little log cabin up near Crystal Mountain, and then a beach house on Pearl Island in the San Juans where we had many happy family gatherings."
One of nine children born to a Catholic family in Spokane, he attended parochial schools and the University of Alaska before enlisting in the Army in 1942. He served with the Army Air Force in Alaska, where he met his wife of 56 years, Mabel Curran.
He earned a law degree at the University of Washington in 1948 and moved to Kent to join James Kelleher in legal practice. After Mr. Kelleher's death, Mr. Curran became a founding partner of the law firm now known as Curran Mendoza.
In 1967, he was among the 15 King County Freeholders elected to write a King County Charter.
The charter set up the structure of an elected executive and county-council members chosen by district.
But even as early as 1957, he was encouraging Metro, King County and Seattle to synchronize their legislative efforts. One newspaper story noted this during his Senate bid.
Mr. Curran belonged to the board of governors of the Washington State Bar Association during the 1970s. He retired in the early 1980s.
He was a past president of Kent Lions Club and Kent Rotary Club.
He also had served on the board of the Kent Chamber of Commerce.
Throughout his life he was a deeply involved member of St. Anthony's/ Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Kent, his daughter said.
Besides his wife and daughter, survivors include children Tim Curran, Bellevue; Janet Curran, Shoreline; and Mark Curran, Seattle; brothers Pete Curran, Kent; John Curran, Spokane; Tony Curran, Spokane; and Bob Curran, St. Paul, Minn.; sister, Maureen Johnson, Spokane; and five grandchildren.
Mass has been said. Donations may go to the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, 358220 University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195.