In Memoriam: John Price, S.E.
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of H. John Price, SE, former Principal and Managing Director of Curry Price Court (now Curry Stenger Engineering).
John was born in Cape Town, South Africa. He was raised all over South Africa & Namibia, frequently moving with the family due to his father’s work as a civil engineer building railroads. He was an excellent student & graduated university summa cum laude as a civil engineer. He went on to earn a master’s degree in structural engineering with an emphasis on concrete design, as well as an MBA. He worked in London & Johannesburg, where he started his own engineering firm. John made the bold decision to emigrate with his young family, moving to beautiful San Diego. Becoming an American citizen, some years later was one of the highlights of his life.
Upon moving to San Diego in 1987, John joined Travis, Verdugo, Curry & Associates (TVCA) establishing himself in the local structural engineering community. He became a Shareholder and Managing Director in 1996, and the firm was renamed Curry Price Court (CPC). In 2015, after 28 years with the firm, John retired but continued to leverage his decades of expertise as a consultant and expert witness.
John was a brilliant engineer who loved his profession. He was a respected and active member of the Structural Engineers Association (SEAOC and SEAOSD), serving as SEAOSD President from 1997-1998, SEAOSD Director from 1994-1999 and SEAOC Director from 1997-2001. As a former Chair of the Existing Buildings Committee, he contributed to code change proposals and standards including ASCE 41 and the International Existing Building Code (IEBC).
John was also active with the Applied Technology Council (ATC), where he served a term on the ATC Board from 2004-2011, and was ATC President from 2009-2010. During his tenure with ATC, John volunteered with groups of engineers to assess earthquake damage in Chile, Italy, & Fukushima, Japan. As Bernadette Hadnagy (ATC Director, Operations) shared - “When John joined the Board, he immediately volunteered his services on the ATC Endowment Committee and an Ad-Hoc Committee to formulate Project Status Reports. He joined the Executive Committee in 2005 as an At-Large member. While he never served as Treasurer, he had a keen interest in accounting and investments and was considerably involved in the Finance Committee. It really was an honor to have worked with John during his time on the Board. One of the engineering greats we will truly miss!”
His former South African business partner, Don Midgley – “his brilliance as an engineer was matched only by his willingness to teach, support & inspire those around him.”
Jim Stenger, John’s former business partner with Curry Price Court shared – “He always impressed me with his practical approach to engineering, always able to see the true problem and approach it in a way that made sense. John was a mentor and a friend to so many and was always generous with his time to others.”
John enjoyed mentoring young engineers, several of whom went on to lead their own successful practices. He led with integrity, kindness, generosity & was known for his well-researched advice. Ian Mellor of Mellor Engineering was one of the young engineers he took under his wing - “I learned from John that you must know the engineering for yourself and not rely solely on others for a good engineering solution. John saw something in me that, at the time, I did not see in myself and would not realize until years later. I can say with 100-percent certainty that I would not be where I am today, had I not worked with John Price.”
Those of us who worked with John over the years share the same sentiments - We feel lucky and blessed to have had the opportunity to work alongside him. He taught us that kindness costs you nothing. He fostered an environment that strengthened relationships, creating a culture where everyone felt valued and motivated to do their best. His work can be seen throughout San Diego & the world. John will be deeply missed.
John passed away at home on December 23, 2025, at the age of 77. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Sandy, their children, Natalie & Matthew, son-in-law, Ric, his grandsons, Ben and Leo, his brothers, Owen & Brian, & friends & family all over the world who will miss him dearly.
His family is planning a celebration of his life in mid-January.
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