Else Johanne Curd

Else Johanne Wissing Curd, 104, of Harrisonville, MO died February 9, 2024 in Olathe, Kansas.

She was born April 9, 1919 in Oslo, Norway, the daughter of Captain John P. Wissing and Sigrid (Bovim) Wissing. 

In 1927 Else, her parents and brother were part of an expedition making its way to the Galapagos Islands. After several months at sea and time spent in the Canary Islands and the West Indies, the expedition failed and ended in Colon, Panama. There, she and her family lived for more than two years on a primitive banana plantation outside Colon before malaria fever caused them to return to Norway. Her father remained behind, hoping to settle in the United States and send for his family. It would be five years before he was able to do that, moving them to Miami, Florida, where he had been located. Else lived in Miami for eleven years with her family. She graduated from Miami Senior High School in 1937 and was a member of the National Honor Society.

She became an American citizen in 1942. In 1944 she married James H. Curd in Miami, Fl., and they moved to Harrisonville, MO in 1946. Else and Jim were divorced after 35 years of marriage, but remained friends until his death in 1998. Harrisonville remained her home until she moved to Olathe to stay with her daughter, Sally, in January 2023, where she stayed for nearly a year. In mid-January of 2024 she moved briefly to Healthcare Resort of Olathe where she was at the time of her death.  

Over the years she made two return visits to her native Norway. In 1958 she and her three children went for an extended visit of four months, and thirty years later (1988) she went back by herself. A number of relatives also came to this country to visit. 

Else was a member of the Harrisonville United Methodist Church. She was employed for 21 years in the business office of Harrisonville Memorial Hospital (now Cass Regional Medical Center), and retired in 1984. In her late eighties she returned to Cass Regional Medical Center to help in the gift shop, but health issues caused her to give it up after several years. 

At the age of 92 she surprised herself and her family by getting a computer. To let them know what she had done, she sent out emails. She even joined Facebook to enjoy keeping up with her growing family. 

Else enjoyed spending time with her family as well as reading, gardening and needlework. She was an avid bridge player. 

In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by a brother, Fredrik W. Wissing, a son, James F. Curd, and her son-in-law, Joseph Anthony (Tony) Tracey. Survivors include two daughters: Sally A. Tracey, Olathe, KS, Peggy S. Gaede (Dan), Overland Park, KS; three granddaughters: Kim Stokes (Dave), Olathe, KS, Tiffany Tracey, Wichita, KS, and Caitlin Ripley (Brian), Riverside, MO; 6 great-grandchildren, 2 great-great-grandchildren, as well as other relatives both in Norway and the United States. 

Visitation will be at Dickey Funeral Homes in Harrisonville, MO at 1:00 pm on Saturday, February 24, with the service immediately following at 2:00 pm. Cremation with inurnment at the Orient Cemetery at a later date.