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Memorial
Minute for Cornelia Dashiell McCurdy
Cornelia
“Corney” Ringgold Dashiell McCurdy, Swarthmore Meeting member, died at her
home in Swarthmore, October 28, 2010, at eighty-five-years-of-age. She was born
July 23, 1925, in
New York City
to Alfred S, and Cornelia R. Dashiell.
Cornelia
was graduated from
George
School
in 1943. While attending
George
School
, she met the love of her life, the school’s physician, “Dino” E.P.
McCurdy, M.D. After meeting him for the first time at fifteen-years- of-age, she
said “He’s mine!” She and Dino had five children: Dino, Richard, Cornelia
(Terri), Marcia, and Gretchen.
George
School
instilled in her values of academic excellence and the values of Quaker
tradition. She used both as a touchstone for her family. She joined Swarthmore
Meeting February 15, 1966.
Being
a skilled “domestic engineer,” she orchestrated flute and piano practice
times for the children in her home, and she could effortlessly add two or
three other people to their dining table. She was a magnet to many of the
neighborhood children, who often flowed through their Swarthmore home on
Chester Road
. She loved to organize social events; she and Dino spent many summer weekends
entertaining families from Swarthmore Meeting in their second home in
Ocean City
,
Maryland
. She added a sense of humor to her organizing – for instance, displaying a
bright orange sign on her porch…"Kookie
Sale
" for the annual Girl Scout cookie drive. She used her efficient
organizational skills to help unstintingly with the house wares department in
the Swarthmore Meeting’s Jumble Sale. She had a welcoming magnetic personality
that many, many of the long-time Meeting members fondly remember.
A
Memorial Meeting for her was held in Swarthmore Friends Meetinghouse, Saturday,
December 11, 2010. She is survived by her beloved husband of 67 years, five
children, thirteen grandchildren, and seven great-great grandchildren.
Prepared
by Care and Counsel Committee
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