Kathryn Ann Curry

Kathryn Ann Curry – February 22, 1960 – April 27, 2026

Kathryn Ann Curry, known lovingly as Kathy, Kat, and Katura to those who held her dear, passed away on April 27, 2026, in La Mesa California. She was 66 years old. Born on February 22, 1960, in Detroit, Michigan, Kathryn lived a life defined by boundless curiosity, deep compassion, and an unwavering dedication to sharing her faith with the world. Kathryn's remarkable spirit revealed itself early. When she was just six years old, her family embarked on an extraordinary adventure, spending a year traveling through Europe while her parents, Jon and Marjorie Curry, studied at the Sorbonne University in Paris France. Young Kathy absorbed every experience like a sponge, picking up languages wherever she went. By the time the family returned home a year and a half later, she had become proficient in French, German, and Italian. Her gift for languages would stay with her throughout her life and open doors to people and cultures across the globe. That same year also nurtured her love for music. She began studying piano, violin, and clarinet at a young age, and her passion for these instruments never faded. When the Curry family relocated from Detroit to San Diego, California, Kathryn enrolled at Helix High School, where she was a member of the marching band that performed one year in the Rose Bowl parade. Kathy continued to thrive. She went on to attend Occidental College in Los Angeles and the University of California, San Diego, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree. She had her sights set on the medical field, and those who knew her intellect and determination had no doubt she would have excelled. However, during her college years, when Kathryn became a Jehovah’s Witness, she felt a deep calling to dedicate her life to spreading the truth of Jesus Christ. It was a turning point that shaped everything that followed. Her ministry work brought her to the World Headquarters of the Jehovah's Witnesses, in New York. While at Bethel she met and later married William Gerber. They moved to Peoria where she worked at the university with medical staff training on bloodless surgeries. She later accepted a management position at the US Postal Service which allowed her to transfer back to California to be closer to her mom, Marjorie Curry. She was later married to Gordon Adams, and together they shared a home in San Diego with her mother, caring for her with tenderness and devotion. When Marjorie moved to Vancouver, Washington, to live with Kathryn's sister, Anika Curry, Kathy followed without hesitation, determined to be by her mother's side. She remained there, as a steady and loving presence, until Marjorie's passing in 2018. While in Vancouver, Kathryn threw herself into her ministry work, serving the local community with characteristic energy and warmth. She also channeled her entrepreneurial spirit into building a coffee business, roasting and selling gourmet coffees that reflected her exacting taste and creativity. A large part of Kathy’s life was her determine battle with addiction and mental illness. While attending meetings at the National Association for Mental Illness, NAMI and Alcohol Anonymous, A.A; she never missed an opportunity to expand her gourmet coffee business, KattesKaffe! She also developed an import and export business, marketing jewelry, designer bags, and a beautiful line of African attire. Never one to let a talent go unexplored, Kathryn taught herself to write music during this time and composed many original songs, adding yet another dimension to a life already rich with accomplishment. Kathryn had a passion for life that infused everything she did and everywhere she went. She loved sunsets at the beach, the companionship of her trusted service dog, Gabby, and the art of interior design. She was a world traveler who felt equally at home on distant shores and as she did in her own carefully curated living spaces. Affectionately called "Aunt Kat or Aunt Kathy" by her many nieces and nephews, Kathryn was also a diligent genealogist whose research led to a deeply meaningful reunion with her extensive birth family, calling themselves the BenhamNation. Through her tireless work, she discovered that her birth father was part of the first African American battalions in World War II. A revelation that filled her with pride and deepened her understanding of her own remarkable heritage. Kathryn is in heaven with her grandmother, Jesse P. Daniel; her father, Jon Elsworth Curry; her mother Marjorie Ann Daniel Curry; her biological father Hamilton John Benham; and her great niece DaMaura Perkins. She is survived by her sister, Anika Jone Curry, and son Jonathan Elsworth Banks and father Elmer Banks. The very large BenhamNation include Kathryn’s biological sisters and brother; Judith Benham (aka Muqarrabah Miyzaan); Sharon Benham and John Benham. Nieces and nephews include: Michelle Fernandze; Farland, Esa Miyzaan; Ali Miyzaan; Malika Ananda; Ansariah Bent-Musafir; Yusuf Musafir; Sakinah Bent-Musafir; Mariam Brown; and Deaanna Brown. Great Nieces and Nephews in include: Otis Wynn III; Asia Musafir-Mosby; DeAnnah Perkins; Dasariah Perkins; Durraah Perkins (aka Daylah Perkins); Candace Rooks; Kyra Rooks; Lauren Rooks; Matthew Fernandze; Lamya Fernandze; Ali Miyzaan Jr.; Aquelah Miyzaan; Laylah Miyzaan; Rakiyah Miyzaan; Wahlee Lyte; Amira Lyte; Shakira Lyte; Anthony Lyte; Namirr Lyte; Amir Lyte; and Daylan Musafir; along with a wide circle of extended family and friends whose lives she touched through her warmth, generosity, and tireless spirit. Above all else, Kathryn's most memorable quality was her love for Jehovah and her unwavering commitment to sharing that love with people from all walks of life and every corner of the world. Her faith was not something she kept quietly to herself; it was the engine that drove her ministry, her compassion, and her connection to others. She walked in that faith every single day, and it gave her life its deepest meaning and purpose. Those who knew her could see it in everything she did, from her ministry work to the way she cared for her mother, from the music she composed to the conversations she shared with strangers who quickly became friends. Kathryn Ann Curry lived fully, loved deeply, and served faithfully. She leaves behind a legacy of devotion, creativity, and kindness that will continue to inspire all who were blessed to know her. A memorial service celebrating Kathryn's life will be held at 4:30pm on May 22, 2026 at the Kingdom Hall at 9052 Lamar Street; Spring Valley CA.