Known for her ties to Old Black Hollywood and vibrant spirit, the legendary actress’s sudden passing has left her family grieving and a community reflecting on her lasting legacy.
A devastating fire in Southern California has taken the life of a beloved figure from Old Black Hollywood. Dalyce Curry, affectionately known as “Momma D,” was confirmed dead after the Eaton Fire tore through her Altadena home, leaving her family and community in mourning.
Curry, 95, had been missing since the night of Tuesday, January 7, when the fire rapidly spread across the area, destroying homes and displacing residents.
The confirmation of her death came on Sunday, January 12, when the coroner informed her family that her remains had been discovered at the site of her destroyed property. Her granddaughter, Dalyce Kelley, had been anxiously searching for answers since the fire began.
Kelley, who is also Curry’s part-time caregiver, last saw her grandmother on Tuesday night. She had dropped her off at home after a long day at the hospital. Momma D had been exhausted and wanted to rest.
Kelley, who had to look after other ailing family members, left for the evening, never imagining that things would take a turn for the worst. The Eaton Fire erupted earlier that day and quickly turned into a raging inferno, forcing residents to evacuate their homes.
Firefighters work the scene as an apartment building burns during the Eaton fire in the Altadena area of Los Angeles county, California, on January 8, 2025 | Source: Getty Images
When Kelley awoke to a text alert about a power outage at her grandmother’s house, she rushed to the smoke-filled Altadena neighborhood to check on her.
However, she was stopped by officers at a barricade. “I’m sorry your grandmother’s property is gone. It totally burned down,” an officer told Kelley, advising her to check the Pasadena Civic Center, where displaced residents were being sent.
Flames from the Palisades Fire burn a home on January 8, 2025, in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California | Source: Getty Images
For days, the family clung to hope that Curry had somehow survived the disaster. But by Friday, January 10, the situation looked grim. Kelley was escorted back to the property by a member of the National Guard to see the damage for herself.
“It was total devastation,” Kelley said. “Everything was gone except her blue Cadillac.” Curry’s family has been left heartbroken by the loss. Her granddaughter Loree Beamer-Wilkinson described her as a lively and spirited woman who, despite her age, had “plenty of life to live.”
“She was very active, you would not think she was 95,” Beamer-Wilkinson shared with ABC7. Curry’s ties to Old Black Hollywood date back to the 1950s. She appeared as an extra in several iconic films, including “The Ten Commandments,” “Blues Brothers,” and “Lady Sings the Blues.”
Her presence on set left a lasting impression on those who worked with her, and her family says she often reflected fondly on those years.
But acting wasn’t Curry’s only passion. After working in Hollywood, she became a nurse and remained deeply involved with her community. She was affectionately known as “Kaiser Famous” by those who knew her through her work with the Kaiser community.
Even at 95, Curry remained full of energy and excitement for life. Her family recalled how she took pride in her independence and loved spending time with her loved ones.
In one of the last videos taken of her, Curry is seen dressed in a vibrant red outfit, posing with Kelley and her great-grandson Landon. “So beyond blessed to still have my grandma at 95! #Cherish our time together,” Kelley captioned the video on Facebook.
The clip showed Curry laughing and enjoying a meal with her family at Shakers, a popular local diner. In the video’s description, Kelley added, “One of our last videos together. This song just hits different now.”
According to a GoFundMe page set up by her family, Curry’s vibrant personality, charm, and grace impacted everyone she met. Despite her age, she was fiercely independent and optimistic about the future.
“She often said, ‘I have yet to begin to live,'” her family shared on the page. “She was a dreamer, a doer, and above all, an amazing grandmother who inspired us with her strength, resilience and class.”
Before the tragic news was confirmed, Kelley expressed her desperation to find her grandmother alive, saying she was “still praying for a miracle” but feared the worst. “Honestly, we don’t feel very hopeful that she’s still here with us,” added Kelley.
In an exclusive interview with CNN, Kelley recalled what happened after she dropped off her grandma and left. Her family had heard of a potential evacuation warning due to the fire but didn’t feel alarmed at the time.
Kelley explained, “It didn’t look like danger.” Things seemed quite normal when Kelley got closer to the hills where Momma D lived.
She added that the fire initially appeared to be burning in the northeast, while her grandmother’s home was on the west side of Altadena. Neither she nor Curry anticipated the fire would escalate into the massive blaze that it did.
Khaled Fouad (L) and Mimi Laine (R) embrace as they inspect a family member’s property that was destroyed by Eaton Fire on January 9, 2025, in Altadena, California | Source: Getty Images
Altadena, which was Momma D’s home for over 20 years, had a special place in her heart. Kelley noted that her grandmother cherished the diverse and historic neighborhood and often expressed her love for the community’s warmth and culture.
When Curry went missing, her family immediately took action to try to locate her. On January 10, Kelley shared a missing person post on Facebook with a photo of her grandmother. The post mentioned that Curry was last seen at her residence on January 8.
“Call Dalyce Kelley or authorities if you possibly have seen her #DalyceCurry aka Mama Dee,” Kelley wrote in the post, providing her phone number and urging anyone with information to come forward.
Despite their best efforts, the family received heartbreaking news three days later when authorities confirmed that Curry’s remains had been found at the site of her destroyed home.
Kelley later expressed her anguish during the CNN interview, saying she was struggling with guilt over the tragic loss.
“I have lived with a lot of guilt, and I’m trying to process this,” she said, holding back tears. “My grandmother, our grandmother — she meant the world to us. She adored me, and I adored her. I’m just lost for words.”
In the aftermath of Curry’s tragic death, her family launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover the costs of funeral arrangements and memorial services. The campaign seeks to raise $50,000 to give Momma D the “Going Home Celebration” her family believes she deserves.
“Our beloved grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend, Dalyce ‘Momma D’ Curry, was a beacon of light and love in our lives,” the campaign description reads. “At 95 years young, she was full of vitality, elegance, and an unmatched zest for life.”
The funds raised will be used to cover funeral and memorial service expenses, and travel costs to bring family members from across the country to say their final goodbyes. The family also hopes to establish a lasting tribute in Curry’s memory.
“Momma D did not have her ‘things in order’ because she didn’t think the end of her days wouldn’t come for at least another 5 or more years!” the family explained in the fundraiser. “She was funny, spunky and lovely.”
As of January 15, the campaign has raised $350 from four donors. The family remains hopeful that more support will come in the days ahead as they continue to process the painful loss.
Dalyce Curry’s death is one of many casualties resulting from the ongoing wildfire crisis in California. The state has experienced 135 wildfires so far, with 40,644 acres burned and over 12,300 structures destroyed, according to emergency response reports.
Officials have confirmed 24 fatalities, with several more deaths still pending coroner confirmation. The Eaton and Palisades Fires are among the most devastating blazes this season.
Local authorities and firefighters are working tirelessly to contain the flames, but damage assessments are still underway.
Curry’s family hopes that sharing her story can bring more attention to the wildfire crisis and its lasting impact on communities. Despite the tragic circumstances, Kelley and her family want to focus on celebrating Momma D’s life and the legacy she leaves behind.
“We are heartbroken beyond words but committed to honoring her incredible life and legacy,” the family stated on their GoFundMe page.
