Ida Sorrell Curley

Ida Jane Curley (86) resident of Worley, Idaho passed away on September 19, 2024 at her home. She was born to Ernest Isadore Sorrell and Annie Catherine Finley Sorrell on January 6, 1938 in St. Ignatius, MT. Ida attended school at the Vila Ursulines in St. Ignatius, and then public school in Mullen, Idaho. She left school in the 8th grade to stay home and help take care of her younger siblings. She went back to school attending St. Ignatius High School.  

Through mutual family friendships she met Domnick “Sonny” Curley. The couple dated a few years before running off to The Hitching Post in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho on May 20, 1957. While Sonny served in the U.S. Air Force Ida stayed with his parents in Tensed, Idaho. Shortley after he was discharged, they moved from Tensed, returning to Montana.  

The Curley Family moved around spending time in California, Missoula, Evaro, and Arlee MT. During this time, she was a homemaker and often took in other children from her family. While in Arlee, she established Ida’s Flower Shop and ran that business for several years. She then moved it to St. Ignatius for a few years before closing, eventually reopening for a few years, in Plummer, Idaho. She found joy in creating beautiful arrangements and putting smiles on the faces of her customers, and although she closed her shop for good, she still created arrangements out of her home. 

Aside from running her flower shop and staying home to raise her children, Ida worked several jobs that brought her joy, including the Missoula Headstart Center and as a Vista Volunteer, working to make sure families were fed and making ends meet. She also worked as a Community Health Representative (CHR) in Montana and Idaho, as a residential counselor at Kicking Horse Job Corps Center, and as an Alcohol Counselor in Spokane, Washington. The family had moved to Plummer, Idaho in 1980 and she made the commute to Spokane daily. Later she and Sonny moved to Worley, Idaho where she resided for 42 years. She ended her career retiring as the Family Service Coordinator for the Coeur d’Alene Tribe Head Start Program. Ida was a strong woman who survived a heart attack and cancer. 

A phenomenal cook, the best around. Her specialties were her huge breakfasts for family and company. Her grandchildren remember her fabulous homemade huckleberry cakes, her family loved her made from scratch biscuits, gravies, roasts, pancakes, and roasts.  

She loved playing bingo and slot machines, especially at the Coeur d’Alene Casino. She loved to travel with the CDA Tribal Elder Program visiting various tribal casinos across the pacific northwest, for elders dinners . Her favorite activity was spending time with family, camping, dinners, traveling and gatherings.  

Ida is survived by her children Alieene “Boom” (Ozzie) George of Plummer, ID, Marie (Arnold) Torosian of St. Ignatius, MT, Ida “JR” (Donnie) Gustin of Worley, ID, Joanna Curley of Worley, ID, Clifford Curley of Worley, ID and Bob (Shelli) Curley of Worley, ID; Siblings Joseph Sorrell of Arlee, MT, Eva (Reed) Anderson of St. Ignatius, MT, Gene (Anna) Sorrell of Ronan, MT, Danny (Dorsey) Sorrell of St. Ignatius, MT, Gigi (Curtis) Yazzie of St. Ignatius, MT, and Judy Harlow of Pablo, MT, 19 grandchildren, 53 great grandchildren; numerous nieces, and nephews, and her beloved rescue pitbull Nikko. She had a special Mother-son bond with her nephew Arnie Sorrell. She is preceded in death by her parents ,Ernest and Annie Sorrell, husband Domnick “Sonny” Curley, son Antoine “Stoney” Curley, siblings Alice Ryan, Ernest “Rawhide” Sorrell, Wesley Sorrell and infant/toddler siblings Judy and Jenny Sorrell, siblings James Bo Sorrell, Karen Sorrell, grandchildren Raven George, Jerome Colman, Russel "RJ" Sorrell, Danelle Sorrell and Chasity Leo and numerous nieces and nephews. 

Ida’s final resting place will be in the Snyelmn Sntmtmne beside her sister Alice. 

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