The congregation at First Baptist Orlando is grieving the heartbreaking loss of Lucy Pat Curl, the beloved 85-year-old wife of longtime pastoral care minister Bill Curl after she succumbed to injuries sustained in a brutal home invasion on the 31^st of January.

Lucy Pat was home alone when a man, later identified as 55-year-old Ronald D. Davis, allegedly forced his way in under false pretenses and violently assaulted her. According to the Orlando Police Department, Pastor Curl returned home to find his wife inside their vehicle in the garage, pressing the horn for help. He immediately called 911.

Despite the church’s fervent prayers for a miracle, Lucy Pat was taken off life support on Tuesday and passed away early Wednesday morning at Orlando Regional Medical Center.

A statement from the Orlando Police Department confirmed her death at approximately 5:15 a.m., and authorities have now charged Davis with first-degree murder in the commission of a home invasion. Previously, Davis had faced charges of home invasion robbery with a weapon, aggravated battery on a person over 65 with great bodily harm, and aggravated battery with a weapon. Davis was only released from prison in June 2024 after serving 15 years for violent crimes.

On Sunday, First Baptist Orlando’s Senior Pastor David Uth addressed the 14,000-member congregation, expressing the deep sorrow and shock felt by all who knew the Curls.

“What he did to her… you just look up and go, ‘God, she’s one of your finest,'” Uth shared.

Lucy Pat and Bill Curl have been faithful servants of the church for over five decades, including 18 years as missionaries with the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board in Europe. In recent years, they have ministered side by side at First Baptist Orlando, with Lucy Pat using her gift of music to serve in weddings and funerals.

“He’s the one who will be there for you in a heartbeat, and she’s right there with him,” Uth said. “They’ve spent their lives serving others, and now we’re asking God to intercede for them.”

Though doctors said they could do nothing to heal Lucy Pat’s injuries, her husband had remained steadfast in faith.

“Bill told me he asked one of the doctors, ‘Do you know my God? He can do anything,'” Uth recalled.

Now, as the church mourns, the Curl family has asked for privacy while they prepare for her memorial service, which will be held at First Baptist Church Orlando on February 16.

In a statement published on Facebook, the Curl family confirmed her passing and reflected on their loss.

“On Tuesday, Lucy Pat was taken off life support. She went on to Heaven early this morning. We rejoice that she is no longer in pain,” the family said. “The circumstances of her passing are shocking and abrupt and not what we would have expected or chosen. But as our Lord has forgiven us, we are asked to forgive each other.”

The family also urged the community to extend forgiveness to Davis, as her husband has pledged to do.

“At one point, Bill took her picture before the results of the attack had been cleaned up. When asked what he would do with a picture like that, his response was, ‘I’m going to show it to the man who did this to her. Then I’m going to forgive him. I refuse to let his actions dictate who I am.’ So we would ask for you to do the same,” they said.

In recounting the attack to his congregation, Pastor Uth revealed that Pastor Curl was counseling at their Center for Pregnancy when his wife was attacked at their home.

According to Lucy Pat’s account to the police, she heard a knock at the door and saw a man claiming to be a community service officer. When she asked for his identification, Davis allegedly pretended to reach for his wallet before forcing his way inside and attacking her.

“He knocked her down, came into the house [and] hit her several times. She’s 85 years old but in great health. She survived cancer three times,” Uth said.

During the attack, Lucy Pat hit the right side of her head on a coffee table, causing significant brain damage.

“They (doctors) did some studies and saw there was a brain bleed, but they were hopeful that maybe it could be operated on to relieve the pressure and to deal with it. But then, when they ran the second scan, it was beyond help, and the neurosurgeon said there’s really nothing we can do,” Uth shared.

Despite the tragic circumstances, First Baptist Orlando continues to stand in faith, trusting in God’s sovereign will and finding strength in the legacy of love and service that Lucy Pat left behind.