Clay Thomas Curbow, 18, of Winchester, Virginia passed away Tuesday, December 5, 2017 from injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident.
Clay was born in 1999 in Fayetteville, North Carolina, the son of Carla Welsh and Kyle Curbow (Kala Metz Curbow). He attended both Sherando and Handley High Schools and graduated from Handley High School, Class of 2017. During his freshman year at Sherando he played football and during his junior and senior years at Handley he played baseball. Clay recently enlisted in the United States Navy and was to commence basic training in April 2018. He was excited to hone his skills in advanced electronics and looked forward to traveling the world. Clay’s goal was to make the Navy a lifelong career in serving his country. He worked part-time at Texas Roadhouse in Winchester and was lovingly referred to as “steel toes”, because of the boots he wore.
Clay loved the outdoors; was an avid deer hunter and fisherman. He was especially fond of bass fishing with his father and striper fishing with his three best friends, Paul, Grant, and Shelby Rhodes. Clay was a foodie and was interested in cooking, but loved eating even more. He loved working with the local travel baseball team, the Winchester Nationals; served as a mentor and assisted the coaches as needed at practices. His true passion was ice hockey and was an avid fan of the Washington Capitals. But his true love was his family, he enjoyed spending time with all of his family.
Clay was truly an old soul, never needing much to please him or make him smile; just a beautiful person inside and out and his early departure from this world will certainly leave a void for all who know and love him. The only comfort that his family, friends, and loved ones have is the hope that we will one day see him again.
Surviving is his mother, Carla Welsh of Winchester and his father, Kyle Curbow (Kala Metz Curbow) of Stephens City; five sisters, Jenna Hawkins and Mia Curbow of Winchester, Madilyn Curbow, Zoe and Abby Schmidt of Stephens City; maternal grandparents, Bennie and Sherry Welsh of Cross Junction; Dolores Parkinson of Winchester; paternal grandparent, Judith Curbow of Mechanicsville, Maryland; maternal great-grandmother, Gwynn Parkinson of Winchester; maternal great-grandfather, Bennie Welsh, Sr. of Stephens City. Also surviving is Clay’s girlfriend, Kyleigh Lockhart of Middletown and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and friends who will miss him beyond words.
A gathering of family and friends will be from 10 am to 12 pm on Saturday at Omps Funeral Home, Amherst Chapel. A funeral service will follow at 12 pm with Pastor Tony Alan Bates officiating. Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Clay, because he was so very proud of his sister, Mia’s scholastic achievements and her plan to attend medical school, may be sent to BB&T Bank, c/o Clay’s Memorial Education Fund for Mia, Northern Valley-Amherst, 1800 Amherst Street, Winchester, Virginia 22601. Clay always said “she has a big brain”.