FREETOWN — The Bartholomew County legal community is mourning the loss of a distinguished leader and tireless public servant. Retired Judge Norman ‘Norm’ Dale Curry passed away Sunday, February 8, 2026, at his home in Freetown. He was 92.
Judge Curry’s path to the bench was as unique as it was inspiring, marked by a mid-career shift from engineering to law that would ultimately shape the county’s judicial landscape for over two decades.
Born in Indianapolis on November 15, 1933, Curry served his country as a U.S. Air Force veteran (1953–1957), during which time he learned to fly—a passion he maintained for decades as a private pilot. After graduating from Butler University, he spent 14 years at Cummins Engine Company in quality and environmental management.
At the age of 35, with a wife and three children to support, Curry took a bold leap. Backed by a scholarship from Cummins, he attended the University of Miami School of Law. He was admitted to the Indiana Bar in 1972 and remarkably advanced to practice before the United States Supreme Court by 1977
Curry’s judicial career began in 1987 when Governor Robert D. Orr appointed him as Judge of Bartholomew County Court 2 (later Superior Court 2). His colleagues and community members remember him for several key milestones:
He served as the full-time judge until 1999, known for a “meticulous and honest” approach to the law.
The day after his initial retirement, he became a Senior Judge, serving 15 different Southern Indiana courts and mediating over 600 civil and family cases until his final retirement at age 80 in 2013.
Beyond the courtroom, he served on boards for Children, Inc., San Souci, and the Housing Partnership. He was a 31-year board member and former chairman for BHI Senior Living (formerly Baptist Homes of Indiana).
Locally, Curry was just as well known for his heart as his legal mind. For 18 years, he and his late wife, Carolyn, delighted local children by appearing as Santa and Mrs. Claus, and he frequently appeared as Uncle Sam in the annual Veterans’ Day Parade.
A devout member of the First Baptist Church of Columbus since 1975, he served as a Sunday School teacher and eventually as President of the American Baptist Churches of Indiana and Kentucky.
Jewell-Rittman Funeral Service & Crematory is handling the arrangements. A private inurnment will be held at Flat Rock Baptist Cemetery, where he will receive military rites provided by the Bartholomew County Veterans Honor Guard.
