He eventually earned a master's degree in education from American University in 1968.
Currie is married to the Rev. Shirley Gravely Currie and has two children and two grandchildren.
Sen. Jennie M. Forehand, who grew up in North Carolina too, understands Currie's Southern roots. The two consider themselves friends.
The Montgomery County Democrat says she has nothing but awe for Currie's success story.
"He has worked himself up and he's a role model for so many people," she said. "I've never known him to be anything other than a really incredible, very smart person, someone who's always looking out for people who need help."
She said she turned to Currie recently for advice in helping a constituent, who was trying to raise himself out of poverty.
She thinks his skills as an educator have served him well in politics, particularly in leading his committee. Though that role leaves Currie torn between fellow senators - all demanding money for their favorite projects - she thinks he's both practical and diplomatic.
"He would never promise anything," she said. "He'd just say we'll see what we can do."
Currie has been a member of the Senate since January 1995, and chairman of the Budget and Taxation Committee since 2002.
He served in the House of Delegates from January 1987 until he was elected to the Senate.
He has expressed interest in replacing Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, should the long-serving leader retire.
Miller said Currie's legislative priorities, not surprisingly, have been "education, education and more education." He credited Currie with leading a fight to ensure the General Assembly fulfills its billion-dollar-plus education funding mandate.
"He's a very hardworking, decent human being," Miller said. "I've never heard a person say a bad word or harsh thing about him."
J. Lowell Stoltzfus, an Eastern Shore Republican and a member of Currie's committee, said he always considered Currie to be a man of integrity, someone who masterfully leads his influential committee with fairness and good will.
Sense of right, wrong
Patrick J. Hogan, who served as vice chairman of the Senate's budget committee from 2003 to 2007 and is now the chief lobbyist for the University of Maryland system, also appreciated Currie's even hand and effort to engage the 13 diverse members.
"He seems to be a religious man, married to a minister, and seems to have a sense of right and wrong," Stoltzfus said.
