‘Flying’ Fred Curry Passes Away
Fred Curry passes away.
At the age of 82 years old, ‘Flying’ Fred Curry, real name Fred Koury Jr., passed away. The news of Curry’s passing was shared on Facebook by Bobby Fulton.
Fulton wrote the following tribute to Curry:
Today, the legendary “Flying” Fred Curry has passed away. Without him and his father I wouldn’t have had the opportunities I received. Fred was one of the first high flyers in wrestling! I first met them in 1977 in Circleville Ohio. I remember it like yesterday, the locker room filled with steam from the showers, smoke from the cigars of Wild Bull Curry and Doctor Jerry Graham. When I walked in, Fred had invited us into the locker room. Fred asked my friend Ken Mick, who was with me, to referee, and Ken said he wasn’t a referee, and I spoke up and said I’d do whatever was needed. Thus, began my journey of my early career, going around with Wild Bull and Flying Fred, typically as an opponent. Going with them, led to me working for the WWWF on the Hamburg & Allentown TV Tapings. I would be his traveling opponent and we had many great matches, he was a consummate babyface. Even on the video I saw of him on his deathbed, “he said I’ll always live, and remember I’m fighting for you!” He loved his fans! I was also in a lot of tag team matches against him and his dad, this is where I’d cut my teeth and learn what it meant to be a professional wrestler. I was in awe traveling with him, as I’d hear his stories about each town as well as other parts of the world, and about The Original Sheik, and he highly respected his father. Fred enjoyed smoking cigars, but I noticed when his dad was around he wouldn’t smoke, I asked him why he didn’t, and he said I didn’t want my dad to know I smoked cigars, he was in his 30s, but loved and respected his dad too much. Later on, while working for Paul Bosch, I got to learn of his admiration and respect for Wild Bull and Flying Fred. I last got to see Fred in 2018, we got to have dinner together and talk about old times, it was like it was yesterday. That weekend Superstar Bill Dundee, another great mentor of mine was with us, I’ll cherish the photo forever! I am glad we got to honor the Curry Family with induction into the Ohio Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. I would always talk to him on the phone, and in recent time, Kristie and I would send fruit to him. Your memories will live on in my heart and mind. I still run my spot shows with the formula he used. He always loved to rib, even when I was young, I’ll never forget my first time eating at an expensive place, and I’ll never forget the experience. He came up to me in Allentown and he must have seen how big my eyes were, because I saw Bruno Sammartino, The Valiants and all the big stars of the time that were the covers of the magazines, he said, “they’re all here aren’t they.” My heart is broken. I’m praying for his children Nick, Michael and Fred, his wife Kandi, and other members of his family. Thank you for everything!
