Margaret Kay Chico

Margaret Kay Curry Chico, 82, of Glenville, obtained her healing with her three children, who adore her, by her side on Fri., Jan. 28 at 4:33 a.m.

Kay was born Feb. 8, 1939 in Logan, WV. She was the only daughter of the late Earl Moss and Lydia Margurite Johnson Curry.

She was preceded in death by her only brother, Earl Moss Curry, Jr.; her husband and love of her life, Joseph Eugene Chico; and her best friend and partner in crime, Bea Ellyson.

Kay was a graduate of Pineville High School in Pineville, WV. While in high school, she was a cheerleader and very active in theater productions. She went on to West Virginia University where she obtained a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education and continued her love for the stage. Kay played Poopsie in Pajama Game her first year of college. She joined Alpha Phi Sorority and met her husband, Joe.
Kay and Joe married in Mt. Airy, North Carolina. To this loving marriage, three children were born. She moved to Tucson, AZ where she obtained her first Master’s Degree at University of Arizona in Physical Education. Near the end of her professional career, Kay obtained a second Master’s Degree in Public Health from WVU.

Education was a passion! Her first year of teaching was spent at Tucson High School where she always said the students there called her “Mes.” When she talked about her time at Tucson High, she had a pat response of “I hate Meses to pieces.”

Her love for West Virginia drew her back to the state. She was offered jobs teaching at Marshall University and Glenville State College. She chose to teach at GSC where she spent 35 years impacting the lives of students and the college community.

 Kay was a safe haven for many students who were far from home while obtaining their college degree. Many students spent their time dancing in the living room of her home with her children on the weekends. As her children got older, they learned of her “bring your own steak nights.” Kay would provide the side dishes and students would bring their own steaks and grill. Later in her teaching career, even though she professed to not like college students, she allowed several of them to live in her home so they could get their degrees.

She was very active in Glenville First Baptist Church. She made sure her children were raised in church and knew God. Her children were very lucky to have such a Godly mother.

Kay was literally a world traveler. She and her friends traveled to Greece, Russia, England, Italy, Australia, Scotland, Caribbean Islands, Hawaii and all across the U. S. She loved everywhere she traveled. The only complaint we ever heard about her travels was that returning from out west in the U.S. by the southern route, there was nothing to see because trees were planted along the highways. She thought that was dumb.
She was a sports fanatic. She loved football and basketball. She hated baseball. Literally, hated it. She always said that if a major league baseball team was playing in her front yard, she wouldn’t look out the window. She attended every GSC football and basketball game. She also watched every WVU football and basketball game and watched every other team that played on television. She would coach them loudly as she watched. WVU was special and they were always coached from the beginning to end. If WVU would be losing, pacing would begin and you weren’t to speak until they began winning again. She once got the flu and said that if you had to be sick, during March Madness was the time to do it so you could lay on the couch and watch basketball.

Kay is survived by her three children, Margaret Lynn Chico-Eddy of Charleston, Myra Sue Chico Miller of Glenville and Eric David Chico (Jackie) of Newark, OH., four grandchildren, Erica Sue Eddy Allsup (Matthew) of Charleston, Eric David Curry Chico of Newark, OH, Jack E. Louis Chico of Newark, OH and Joshua Bly Miller (Brandie) of Glenville and three great-grandchildren, Katherine Myra Campbell of Charleston, Kevin Marcus Campbell of Charleston and Myla Bly Miller of Glenville; her son from another mother, Terry Ellyson; and host of Glenville State graduates that she considered to be her children.

 Kay is also survived by her sister-in-law Ginny Curry of Albuquerque, NM, two nieces, Sarah Curry (David King) of Cleveland Heights, OH, Lucy Mahlum (Jim) of Santa Fe, NM, two cousins, Jane Franklin of Charlottesville, VA and Mary Olive Elder (Jerry) of  Montgomery, TX . She has many brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews on the Chico side who she loves very much.

 Kay’s life will be celebrated on Sat., Feb. 5 at Ellyson Mortuary in Glenville. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. The service will be at 2 p.m.  Rev. David Carpenter will be doing the service and special music will be provided by Kay’s best girl, Allie Ellyson. Burial will follow at Stalnaker Cemetery in Glenville.

Ellyson Mortuary, Inc., is honored to assist the the family of Margaret Kay Chico with arrangements.