Sister Curlia Troy was a living testimony of God’s promises. In the early hours of March 11, 2024, God called her, and she quietly transitioned from life into eternal life at her home in Leland, North Carolina, at the age of 107 years. She was the oldest member of the Eastern North Carolina Episcopal District and possibly the oldest member in the whole A.M.E. Zion Church. She was celebrated for being one of the centenarians of the Eastern North Carolina Episcopal District each year since the inception of this project.
Sister Troy was born on January 1, 1917, to the late William and Tamar Ballard Grady. She was the second of four children reared in Leland, NC. Early in life, she exhibited her commitment to her family and service to her community and church. She was a PTA president, and in her 30s, she became the Director of the Junior Choir of Summerville A.M.E. Zion Church. Her love of music led her to obtain a two-year certificate in music from the US School of Music. She became the Minister of Music and directed the Junior, Senior, and Men’s Choir. As director of the Summerville Junior Choir, she would walk to the church for choir practice, encouraging and gathering the children and youth of the community to come with her. She made many attempts to teach her ability to play and sing to her son and nephew, but to no avail. Sister Curlia did not have formal schooling during her childhood, yet she was a woman of much wisdom.
She met and married the love of her life, the late John Franklin Troy. Six children were the gifts of this union. They also reared three of their grandchildren. She was preceded in death by five of her children. Sister Curlia’s love of gardening and cooking equaled her love of music. She and her husband Franklin started a thriving business of growing and selling vegetables and fruits at the Wilmington City Market. When her health prevented her from attending church services, she supported the church in as many ways. In 2020, the Wilmington District Lay Council awarded Sister Troy the Keeper of the Flame Award because, at the age of 103 years, she would still ask, ‘What are they doing at the church?’.
She has established a legacy of service to the A.M.E. Zion Church serving Chairperson of the Summerville Homecoming Event for 25 years. She also served as Secretary of the Trustee Board, President of the Summerville WH&OMS, and Leader of Class #5. She led her children, and a niece, Geraldine Newkirk, to Christ. Sister Newkirk served Summerville A.M.E. Zion Church at the side of her ‘Aunt Curlia’ and led her to become a church leader in her own right.
Sister Curlia Troy has a granddaughter, Rev. Sherryl Bradford, who is an A.M.E. Zion preacher who serves as a member of the Summerville Ministerial Staff, and a great nephew, Rev. Tyquan Alston, who is the Senior Pastor of St. Paul A.M.E. Zion Church, Salisbury, Maryland. Sister Markita Dye, the Pastor’s Steward to Rev. Nathaniel Johnson for almost eight years, is the daughter of Geraldine Newkirk and great-niece of Sister Troy. The Wilmington District, led by Dr. Alexander Jones, envelops the family and friends of Sister Curlia Troy in our prayers and gives grateful praise to God for her service and legacy.
