Samual Curley

Samual Curley

Samual Curley of Salt Lake City, Utah, age 54, passed away in Murray, Utah September 10, 2020, due to complications from a hemorrhagic stroke. Sam was born May 19, 1966 in Farmington, New Mexico and was the youngest child of Ben and Rose Curley. At age nine he entered the Lamanite Placement Program and lived with the Hawkes family of Kaysville, Utah during the school years until he graduated from Davis High School.

He attended Brigham Young University where he was a member of the Lamanite Generation. He performed all over the world sharing his great musical talents and dancing. He was also a member of the Mormon Youth Chorus.  Sam also attended Westminster College and Fielding Graduate University and earned his bachelors and masters degrees in Educational Leadership and Change. He was an academic advisor at Salt Lake Community College at the time of his death. Previously, he worked at Utah State University, Westminster College, and San Juan College.

Sam served a mission to Phoenix, Arizona for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He spent a lot of time helping people on Native American lands and of Native American descent. He was a proud member of the Navajo Nation, and continued to serve his people until his death. A few weeks ago he organized a large effort to solicit food and other donations and deliver them to the people hardest hit by COVID-19.

He was preceded in death by his father, Ben Curley, brothers, Phillip and James and foster father William Howard Hawkes. Sam is survived by his mother Rose, sisters Kathy and Marie, brothers Virgil and Leonard, foster mother Colleen Hawkes and foster siblings Natalie Delano, Blake Hawkes, Chad Hawkes and Melanie Evans. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews who loved their “Uncle Sam”.

A public viewing will be held on Tuesday, September 15, 2020 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at Lindquist’s Bountiful Mortuary, 727 N 400 E. followed by a funeral service at 11:00 a.m. for family and close friends. Please wear masks and follow social distancing guidelines.  He will be interred in a family plot in Toadlena, New Mexico later in the week.

In honor of Sam, contributions in his memory can be made to the Navajo Nation Relief Funds.

Order Video Slideshow