Where Are They Now?

Darrell Curry has never been one to sit still — pretty much any day of the week you can find him working on one of his three businesses, or taking his five-year-old daughter to cheer practice or one of her other activities. “There’s not that many hours in a day that I sleep,” he said. “That’s pretty much how I was raised — if you want it, you gotta go get it, and don’t expect it to be handed to you.”

Curry graduated from Dublin High School in 2008, and went on to Tarleton to study international business with a minor in aerospace engineering. To help pay for his school, he balanced classes with two jobs on the side, one at Bradberry Builders Supply and another on a ranch south of town.

Curry was set to graduate from Tarleton in 2011, but by that time he was already working so much that it didn’t seem worth it to finish the degree. He left school his junior year and headed out to the oilfield to start working full time in South Texas as a roustabout and truck driver. “We helped build the pads and everything like that for the oil drilling rigs,” he said.

He liked the pay of the job, but in 2014 Curry was getting married and wanted to be home more, instead of spending long weeks in South Texas. He bought an 18-wheeler and started working as a truck driver. “I did flatbed work, hauled for Prime [Metal Buildings & Components], and hauled for Bradberrys since I already had connections there,” he said.

Of course, that job also kept him away from home quite a bit, so in 2017 he started working for the Dublin School District as a PE teacher. When he had free time, he’d still take on trucking jobs, but he enjoyed the stability of working part time in town.

Next he worked at the post office as a mail carrier, before once again going fully self-employed. Currently, Curry balances three businesses: his trucking service, a company called Rafter C Roll Off Dumpsters, and a landscaping company with clients in Hamilton, Comanche, DeLeon and Gorman.

“I’m driving about 18-20 hours a day,” he said. He spends much of that time on the phone, catching up with friends and family or talking to clients.

Curry runs all three companies with help from his father, Marvin Curry. “They’ve been treating me very well,” he said. “Hopefully they stay successful.”

Curry still lives in Dublin, as do his parents, Marvin and Melanie Curry. Curry’s wife, Leslie Curry, passed away in February of 2021.

The Curry’s fostered several children, and Curry formally adopted one, Lyrick, who is now five, in in October of last year. Taking care of Lyrick is a full-time job, and Curry’s parents help out when they can. “Becoming a single father has probably been the biggest challenge,” he said. “That’s been a learning curve for sure.”

Curry’s advice to Dublin graduates is to choose their own path and not just do things because others expect them to. “College isn’t for everyone and trade schools aren’t for everyone,” he said. “Just work hard and be the best you can be.”

Editor’s Note: This column chronicles what Dublin graduates have done since high school. If you have any suggestions for other grads, email publisher@dublincitizen.com.