By Sylvia Maria Gross
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kcur/local-kcur-588067.mp3
Kansas City, MO – Longtime Kansas City lawmaker Philip B. Curls died last Friday afternoon. It was the same week his wife, Melba Curls, was inaugurated as an at-large councilwoman for Kansas City's third district. Her campaign would be Phil Curls' last in a lifetime of political service. Curls represented Kansas City's east side in both chambers of the Missouri General Assembly. His family is known for politics. Curls' father helped found Freedom, Inc, the oldest African American political club in the country, which he himself led for eight years.
KCUR's Sylvia Maria Gross was at Curls' memorial service on Friday (May 11, 2007) at St. James United Methodist Church. Among others, daughter Monica Curls, son Michael Curls, former State Senator Tom McCarthy, former US Congressman Alan Wheat.
This story was produced for KC Currents.