Paul B. Currans

Paul B. Currans, 90, of Spencer, passed away Monday, April 28, 2025, at the Spencer Hospital. Mass of Christian Burial is scheduled for 10:30 a.m., Saturday, May 3, 2025, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Spencer. The Rev. Kevin Richter is the celebrant. Visitation will be one hour before the service at the church

Paul Bernard Currans was born on the Currans family farm in rural Palo Alto County, Iowa, on June 12, 1934, to Salome Antoine Currans and James Henry Currans. Paul, the oldest of 10 siblings, attended a one-room schoolhouse through eighth grade, then attended Graettinger High School, and graduated from Emmetsburg Catholic High School in 1953. He then attended diesel mechanics training school in Chicago in the fall of 1953.  Paul joined the Army in the fall of 1954, during the Korean War, and was stationed at Beale Air Force Base in Yuma County, California.

Paul was honorably discharged from the Army in 1956, and returned to northwest Iowa. He met his sweetheart Sheila Blum on a blind date in June 1958. Paul and Sheila were married on June 6, 1959, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Graettinger. In the fall of 1959, Paul and Sheila moved to Spencer, set up home and proceeded to raise their five children: Colleen, Patrick, Carol, Brenda and Myra. Paul worked as a tractor mechanic for International Harvester, later Case/IH, until his retirement, working on his beloved IH Farmall tractors. Paul’s motto for young people was, “Find a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” Paul said he never once dreaded going to work in the morning. After his retirement, farmers still called Paul to work on their older Farmall tractors, as he was the only mechanic who still knew how to fix them.

Paul’s hobbies included motorcycles (of which he owned many), camping, hunting, fishing and restoring antique Farmall tractors (he restored eight). Paul loved taking his Farmalls on tractor rides throughout the state, joined by his wife Sheila on her own IH Farmall tractor. He built an elaborate model railroad setup in his basement, the Osgood and Crippin Railroad, complete with its own mountain. Paul had a notorious sweet tooth, and loved wearing his crazy socks. He could be seen around town, walking or riding his bicycle, wearing his well-worn Osh Kosh overalls.

Paul, a lifelong Catholic, was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Spencer for 66 years. In June 2024, Paul and Sheila celebrated 65 years of marriage and Paul’s 90th birthday with a rollicking party in Spencer, right before the Spencer flood.

Besides being a beloved husband and father, Paul was grandpa to eight grandsons and eight great-grandchildren, who will miss him.

Paul is preceded in death by his parents, three siblings, daughter Myra and grandson Tony.

Arrangements by Martin-Mattice Funeral Home (martinmatticefuneralhome.com).