Dr. George Tams Curlin

George Tams Curlin died on Sunday morning at four am with his wife, Becky, and his son, Mac, by his side at his home overlooking the Tred Avon in Oxford, MD. A renowned epidemiologist, specializing in infectious disease and population health, George devoted his life to his calling to limit suffering and inequalities around the world. He is survived by his wife, Rebecca Bell, his children, Meg Artley (Tom) and Mac Curlin, his grandchildren, Ben (Britni) and Emma Artley, his great-grandson, Henry Artley; his sister and brother, Anne Carothers and Harry Curlin, Jr. George was born to Harry and Katherine Curlin in Mayfield, KY. He graduated from Centre College in Danville, KY in 1961, completed his medical training at Vanderbilt University Medical School in 1965 and earned his Master of Public Health degree at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health in 1974. In 1969, George moved to East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) with his young family where he was part of a small cadre of physician-scientists who researched the efficacy of a brand new treatment for cholera, an oral rehydration therapy (ORT). After the initial trials, the scope of their research expanded to developing ways to ensure the treatment was readily accessible and easy to use for people living in the direst of circumstances. To this day, this treatment has saved the lives of over 70 million people worldwide. George returned stateside in 1977 and continued his career at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID), serving as Chief of the Epidemiology Branch and later as Deputy Director of the Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. At NIAID his work ensured people not only had access to the newest vaccines for influenza, rotavirus, pneumonia, and HPV, but also that the vaccines were safe and affordable for the most vulnerable in low-resource settings. He retired from NIAID in 2010. After his wife, Peggy, died in 2005, George married Rebecca Bell and they settled in Oxford, MD. There they shared a beautiful life together on the Tred Avon with a close community of friends on Pleasant Street and at The Holy Trinity Episcopalian Church. George applied his love of science and culture in the kitchen where he was an enthusiastic cook and host, enjoying his retirement with his beloved neighbors, children, and grandchildren. He will be remembered by friends and family for his gentle nature, wry wit, humble intelligence, and quiet faith.

Dr. George Tams Curlin

September 13, 1939 - March 16, 2025