Achorn-Ingalls, Curry leave legacy of laughter, love of family

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I don’t know if Karen Achorn-Ingalls knew Dale Curry.

I hope she did. The two of them had a lot in common and made the world a better place in which to live.

Achorn-Ingalls, wife of Bangor High School girls soccer coach Jeff Ingalls, died unexpectedly this week. Curry, longtime Mattanawcook Academy athletic director, football coach and administrator, passed away last July.

The primary common denominator was the ability to make people smile.

Immediately.

Regardless of your prior mood. They could cure a foul mood better than anyone in their own different ways.

And both could do it with just a smile.

Achorn-Ingalls had a schoolgirl exuberance that was portrayed by her smile, while Curry had one of those mischievous grins that could always evoke a chuckle.

Achorn-Ingalls had an infectious energy and bubbly sense of humor. She never missed an opportunity to throw out a one-liner. She loved to laugh.

Curry had more of a dry sense of humor. He was sharp. And he had an Afro that was a great source of self-effacing humor.

Another common denominator was their love of children.

Achorn-Ingalls taught school for 23 years. Curry was a coach-administrator for more than 30 years.

They knew the importance of their roles in children’s lives. They took it seriously.

But, again, they used their senses of humor to carve their own niches in the lives of their students.

They positively impacted the lives of thousands of children.

They were terrific role models who were dedicated to their students, their schools and their communities.

It is simply hard to fathom that both of them have left us within the past seven months.

They also had a passion for sports and had sports-minded families.

Curry was an intense coach who also understood that sports was a microcosm of life. Life lessons are learned on the field of battle. When he wasn’t coaching, he was watching his children play.

Achorn-Ingalls may have seen more athletic events in her lifetime than anyone. Her three children, Jen [Craig], Melissa and Nick [Achorn], played a variety of sports.

Melissa still plays soccer for Husson College.

Karen also didn’t miss many of her husband’s team’s games.

If she did, it was probably because she was watching one of her kids play.

They say the good die young and these two died way too young.

I feel cheated.

Laughter is a wonderful elixir and I have lost two people who always made me laugh, people who I could try out my humor on.

They were two people who could help me forget the trials and tribulations of everyday life and make those trials and tribulations more bearable.

I’m sure heaven is a better, funnier place these days.