Michael Paul McCurdy

Michael Paul McCurdy

May 9, 1958 – August 22, 2023

Mike fought the good fight through many health trials and went home to our Lord on August 22, 2023, while in IU University Hospital. Mike was a great man who loved God, his family and our country above all things. He was a member of St. Matthew Catholic Church. He was a graduate of St. Matthew and North Central High School where he was a member of their football teams.

Mike was employed in the restaurant industry, working for Pizza Hut for several years. He later owned a Dairy Queen Franchise and Frosty King for twenty years. He also was very talented mechanically and could fix anything. Often, people would go to him for help with their cars and broken appliances. He never turned anyone down who needed help.

Mike was a champion for youth. He employed many of the neighborhood youth, giving them their first jobs at Dairy Queen. He sponsored community little league teams as well. He was generous to his many nieces and nephews and loved them so much. He often babysat and taxied them to their activities when needed. He even worked concession stands while watching them play ball. Mike enjoyed family gatherings, especially cookouts and birthday celebrations. Mike was a bit of a fire bug and loved to bring fireworks to these celebrations to put on a show for the family. He spared no expense for the kids.

As a child himself, Mike played baseball and football. In his healthier years, Mike enjoyed golfing and even was on a winning team for the McCurdy Open in 1983. He was a great college sports fan cheering on Notre Dame and IU football and basketball. Mike was an Indianapolis Colts fan as well and loved watching games with his Mom and Dad. Mike was a people person and knew no stranger. In addition to spending time watching sports, Mike really enjoyed sitting outside on his porch, visiting with neighbors, listening to music and singing along at the top of his lungs. While on the porch, he waved at every car that passed by and believed in doing little things to make someone’s day.

Mike was a man of faith and a prayer warrior for our family and our country. He trusted in God throughout his many struggles and loneliness. He faithfully said the rosary, read the daily readings and watched mass on TV.

Maybe Mike’s favorite pastime was watching westerns. He was John Wayne’s biggest fan and could give you the lines before John Wayne even said them. He probably watched McClintock, The Quiet Man, True Grit and Big Jake hundreds of times each. Of course Mike thought everyone should be a fan, so he texted his family with an abundance of emojis to tell them the dates and times those movies were on TV which was a lot! As legendary as John Wayne’s quotes were, one is applicable to how Mike fought through many health challenges and setbacks. "Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway.”  Mike saddled up indeed and demonstrated much fortitude, courage and persistence. His family is truly grateful for the tremendous care Mike received from the many health care professionals who worked diligently to improve his quality of life.

Mike joined his beloved parents, Mary and Bob McCurdy, his grandparents Joe and Edna McCurdy, grandparents George and Martha Sunderhaus, nephew Justin McCurdy, brother-in- law Patrick Haas, sister-in-law Barb McCurdy, and many aunts, uncles and cousins in heaven. In our sadness, Mike would remind us what Jesus told all of us, “Let not your hearts be troubled." John 14:1

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, August 31, 2023 at 11a.m., at St. Matthew Catholic Church 4100 E. 56th St Indianapolis, IN 46220.

Visitation will precede the mass at St. Matthew from 10-11:00 a.m.

Burial will be at Oaklawn Memorial Gardens 9700 Allisonville Rd immediately following the service. A peace meal at St. Matthew’s will follow the inurnment.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in memory of Mike may be made to St. Matthew School or to St. Matthew Church for masses in his honor.

As John Wayne said, “It's not how you're buried. It's how you're remembered."   Mike will always be remembered as a cherished brother, son, uncle, cousin and friend.

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