Jack and May O'Keefe

Joan Currie Poppe

Obituary Published in The Oregonian Feb. 6, 2013

Poppe, Joan Currie 86 June 28, 1926 Jan. 30, 2013 Joan was born June 28, 1926 in Bend to Jack Willie and May O'Keeffe. She passed away on Jan. 30, 2013 after 86 years of high spirited adventure on this earth. Joan was the youngest of four children and spent her formative years on a sheep ranch in Silver Lake. She was the apple of her father's eye and he instilled in her tremendous pride in their Irish heritage as well as a great sense of humor. She remained proud of her Lake County Irish roots until the day she died. She went to high school in Lakeview and graduated from University of Portland earning a bachelors of science in Nursing, where she was president of her class. She was working at St. Charles Hospital in Bend when she met a dashing young Irishman from County Down named John Currie and he swept her off her feet. After a whirlwind courtship, they were married in Bend. The Curries eventually landed in Portland, he was working for the SP and S Railroad and she began her 40-plus year career nursing at St. Vincent's Hospital. They raised four children and enjoyed the joyful chaos that their children provided in the home. Friends of the Currie children remember the home being welcoming and inviting and remembered Joan as being "so much fun" and "right in the middle of everything". Following the death of her husband John in 1977, Joan continued to be a strong parent and role model balancing her love of working as a registered Nurse and the raising of her four children. Joan and Karl Poppe, M.D., were married in July of 1988. She and Karl laughed their way around the world together, splitting their time between Portland and their beach house is Arch Cape. After many happy years together, Dr. Poppe passed away on Thanksgiving day 2012. Joan was fun loving and care free with a great sense of humor. She loved to say "life is a picnic"! Having never known a stranger, she will be remembered as a great mother, caring nurse and a ray of sunshine in many people's lives. She is survived by her four children, Colene (Stephen) Bell of Battle Ground, Wash., Cathleen Currie of Boise, Idaho, Brenda Currie of Portland and John (Julie) of Reno, Nev. She was also very proud of her five grandchildren, Brian McComas of San Francisco, Calif., Connor McComas of Boise, Idaho, Devin McComas of Boise, Idaho, Lauren Currie of St. Joseph, Minn. and Jack Currie of Reno, NV. She was preceded in death by her parents and siblings, Gene O'Keeffe, Josephine Schroeder and Maryann Basey. Funeral will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 8 at St. Mary's Cathedral Catholic Church, 1716 NW Davis, Portland, followed by an interment ceremony at Mt. Calvary Cemetery. The Celebration of Joan's life will immediately follow the graveside services at Kell's Irish Pub 112 SW 2nd Ave, Portland. Memorial Contributions can be made to: The College of Western Idaho Foundation Nursing Scholarship, PO Box 3010, Nampa, Idaho 83653 or The Sisters of Holy Names, PO Box 411, Marylhusrt, OR 97036. Riverview Abbey Funeral Home, Directors.