Walt Currier — 1934-2013
Longtime South Lake Tahoe resident Walter Currier died July 6. He was 78.
He born on Sept. 4, 1934.
Walter, known to all as Walt, began teaching at the age of 21 in Martinez in 1955. He taught at Martinez Elementary School until 1961. He then moved his family to South Lake Tahoe where he was first hired to teach seventh grade at Al Tahoe Middle School which was combined with the high school.
In 1962 he moved to Tahoe Valley Elementary to teach sixth grade. He then became a teaching vice principal, and then principal from 1965 until 1970.
In 1970 he became principal of Bijou Elementary School; serving that community until 1978.
In 1978 he became principal of the Meyers Elementary School; serving that community until 1983.
In 1983 he became principal of Sierra House Elementary School; serving that community until 1987.
In 1987 he became principal of South Tahoe Middle School.
In spring and summer of 1988 he served as interim superintendent of Lake Tahoe Unified School District.
He then began working for El Dorado County as the director of Court Schools, which included El Dorado Juvenile Hall in Placerville.
At the same time he was a liaison to the project Right of Passage which enabled students to graduate high school who struggled in the public system.
He retired from the county in 1994 to spend time with his wife, Nancy, and children Janiece, Walter Jr. and Mark and dog Frankie.
Walt was an avid runner for decades and then enjoyed his walks in the woods with Frankie.
He spent his last days at Cascade of the Sierras in Spanish Springs, Nev., with his daughter, Janiece, son-in-law, John, and grandson, Jess Walsh.
He was well loved and will be missed by all.
Very sad news. Walt was a great man. I grew up with his daughter, Janiece, who has been my good friend since. Walt was a well respected educator from the “old school” style. He will be missed. Another old Tahoe fixture lost. Our thoughts, prayers, and rememberances go out to Janiece, John, Jess and other family members. Rip Walt.
Sorry to hear of Walt Currier’s passing away. A good guy and great teacher. Another good old Tahoe local gone.Rip Mr. Currier. Sadly, Bob Rockwell
I’m sad to hear or Mr. Currier’s passing. He was my elementary school principal at Tahoe Valley and he advocated for moving me ahead one grade so I would continue to be challenged in my schoolwork. He was always a kind and gentle man to me. My condolences to his family.
So very sorry to hear of Walt’s passing. He was a one of a kind and a visionary for all that is still right with South Lake Tahoe. It was, indeed, a pleasure and an honor to have known Walt and to see how he lived his life. He was, and always will be, a permanent part of Lake Tahoe history. RIP Walt.
Sad news, which, unfortunately, becomes all to common as we get older.
I knew Walt both professionally and personally – the latter largely because of runs I shared with him. A good guy who will be missed by all of us, particularly as evidence accumulates (based, among other things, on internet forums and “comments” posts)that the next generation has neither the competence nor the judgment to restore what they’ve busted.
Anyway, peace Walt.
This is sad news. I hadn’t realized Mr. Currier served as principal at so many of the district’s schools. I have many memories of the Curriers from the old days on “chalk-dust hill”, aka Cold Creek Trail. My condolences to Janiece and her family, Paula (Shirts) Foley
Mr. Currier was at Tahoe Valley Elementary School while I was a student there. I remember Mr. Currier as being easy to approach. Mr. Currier was also a friend of my parents, who also worked at Tahoe Valley Elementary School. Everyone who knew Mr. Currier liked and respected him. Mr. Currier obviously dedicated his life to the education of others. To the surviving family of Mr. Currier, I am sorry for your loss of this great person.
As a runner, Mr. Currier was a regular on the local running scene and a loyal customer at our Fleet Feet runnng store in the Swiss Chalet Center. Lots of memories of races and Tahoe trail runs with Walt. When he stopped running, he could be found walking on the Cold Creek trails with his dog. He will be missed.
Thank you all for your kind comments. My Dad would be very appreciative to be remember as a contributor to the South Lake Tahoe community.
He was my principal at Meyers, I remember being afraid of him coming to be our new principal. But his smile put me at easy and I loved how he knew to be gentle, and when need be to be firm when a student needed to be disciplined! :)
Interesting to read the “old school” references. I remember a wooden oar-like paddle, with holes drilled in it, mounted over the door of his office at Meyers. And the sound it would make when it connected, along with the crying. Never got to experience it myself, and only heard it directly once or twice when I happened to walking by his office. Guess it left a lasting impression on an 8 year-old boy, these many decades later. To be clear, I’m not saying, I’m just saying …
When I first started as a Principal in South Lake Tahoe, I knew I could always count on Walt for guidance and help. He was very generous with his advice and time and I wouldn’t have survived that first year without his help. He will be missed.
Cheap seats not sure your comment was appropriate, I think you could probably use one of those to your backside. Mr. Currier was a great man! Incredibly respected with a knack for dealing with youngsters. As a student of his at Bijou, he will always be remembered. I hated school and he made it a place I really wanted to be. Our community has lost a great man and leader. My sincere condolences to his loved ones.
I will always remember Walt for what he was, a very passionate human being. I worked with him, ran with him and even cut wood with him. I still have his Kayak with his Eppie’s number on it. He had the kayak made special for him so he could improve his time at Eppie’s The Great Race. When he couldn’t race Eppie’s anymore he traded it to me for my chain saw. As much as he loved to Kayak, Bike and Run he loved cutting wood even more. He was truly a connoisseur when it came to selecting and cutting wood, to heat his house. I will always remember the time I spent with him.
Thank you Walt.
Joby, I didn’t say he wasn’t a good man and that’s not what I intended. In fact, I wouldn’t begin to attempt to offer that opinion, as I didn’t know him personally. It appears he was a wonderful person and solid community guy, as evidenced by the many kind words here.
Frankly, what I shared is a very powerful image that’s been in my head since early childhood. It was a time when physical punishment was an accepted form of public education discipline (as you describe it, “a knack for dealing with youngsters”). I’m not even disagreeing with the overall philosophy, which he personified according to another poster, whose description was “old school style.”
In the end, I honestly mean no offense to his loved ones or friends. But based on the career he chose, and the methods he employed, he made an impression on many peoples’ lives in many different ways … ways that go well beyond trail runs and chain saws.
Walt Currier was an amazing man, an asset to his community, an inspiration to others, appreciating both the world around him, and the others around him. He will be forever missed and admired.
To “Cheapseats”- regardless of what point you were trying to make about methods practiced and accepted in the education community 50 years ago, your choice to make these statements in an obituary for a man that you acknowledge you never knew is, in a word, tasteless.