Kevin Curry’s remarkable 76-year journey with the St Vincent de Paul Society reflects a lifelong commitment to compassion and community service. From visiting hospital patients as a teenager to leading Vinnies Victoria as General Secretary, Kevin’s dedication has transformed countless lives and inspired generations of volunteers.

Now aged 92, Kevin Curry’s journey with the St Vincent de Paul Society began early and endured for an extraordinary 76 years, marked by heartfelt dedication to helping those in need.  

Born in 1933 in Sydney, Kevin first joined Vinnies in 1949 aged 16, while a student at Christian Brothers’ High School, Lewisham, NSW. His initial involvement was through the school’s Vinnies conference, where he regularly visited patients in the local hospital.  

After leaving school, Kevin continued his service with the Lewisham Parish Conference, actively participating and holding various offices. This instilled in him a deep understanding of community needs and the power of compassionate action.  

When his career saw him and his growing family move to Melbourne in 1962, Kevin’s Vinnies journey continued with the East Hampton Conference, where his kindness and leadership quickly became valued.

One of Kevin’s most memorable acts of compassion involved a young boy at his son Tony’s school suffering from impetigo, a painful and contagious skin infection. The boy was socially isolated, but Tony remained his only friend. Aware the boy was being raised by a single father unable to afford or administer medical care, Kevin arranged for treatment and personally cared for him each morning before work for ten days, applying the prescribed therapy until the boy was healed. This act exemplified Kevin’s hands-on approach and empathy for vulnerable individuals. 

In 1968, Kevin was instrumental in re-establishing the St Mary’s Hampton Conference, becoming its new President and guiding it for five years. He was also directly involved in procuring the site for what has become one of Victoria’s busiest Vinnies shops.

Kevin’s continuing commitment led to his appointment as General Secretary of Vinnies Victoria in 1990. In this role, he oversaw all Vinnies activities across the state, including the introduction of computerisation and standardised reporting across Vinnies shops state-wide. Despite the organisation’s growth, Kevin remained grounded in the Society’s mission, ensuring that compassion remained at the heart of service.

During his tenure, Kevin also initiated practical programs such as feeding the homeless with leftover food from the nearby railway canteen, turning surplus pies, pasties and sandwiches into nourishment for those in need. Anne, his wife of 68 years, fondly recalls Kevin staying late to clean up after these meals, always happy to go above and beyond.  

As well as providing practical and moral support to her husband, Anne also played an active role, including cooking dinners for monthly State Council meetings during Kevin’s tenure as General Secretary of Vinnies Victoria.

Together, Kevin and Anne raised nine children and currently have 27 grandchildren and 25 great grandchildren. The couple has remained in the Hampton area since moving to Melbourne 63 years ago.

Even after retiring as General Secretary in 1997, Kevin continued to volunteer. He joined efforts to visit residents in inner-city high-rise apartments, often making up to 20 visits in a day, once a week, alongside fellow volunteer John Barry, Kevin’s predecessor as General Secretary Victoria. These visits revealed the complex realities of poverty and hardship, from households struggling with overcrowding to severe pest infestations, yet Kevin remained compassionate, caring and committed. 

Kevin returned to local conferences in East Hampton and later Highett, where he continued to serve actively until his final retirement in June 2025 at the age of 92.  

Reflecting on his decades of service to the Society since 1949, Kevin said, ‘Vinnies best met what I thought was a very worthwhile charity’.  

These simple words capture the essence of a life devoted to the Vincentian Way, inspiring those who believe in the transformative power of compassion, service and volunteering.