Leon "Earl" Durkee Jr.'s Obituary
Leon “Earl” Durkee, Jr., age 90, lifelong Memphian, went to his heavenly home March 31, 2020. Earl served in the US Navy during the Korean War and then had a full career with the Memphis Police Department as a patrolman, detective and precinct shift commander prior to his retirement in 1980. He then spent over twenty years working in corporate security at Federal Express prior to retiring in 2002. Earl spent many of his happiest years raising a family with wife Leah as a member of Oakhaven Baptist Church, and later spent many years as a deacon at Bellevue Baptist Church. He loved the Lord as well as his family, served as a Gideon and was always happy to help others in any way he could or to provide sage counsel. His larger than life personality, enthusiasm and animated story-telling were calling cards that made him difficult for anyone to forget. Earl was quick with a smile or song and always maintained a keen sense of humor and a sunny outlook on life that was infectious. He and Leah spent their retirement years involved with their church family, traveling around the world and celebrating family weddings as well as enjoying their ever-growing number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In his later years, Earl reflected on his blessings and was fond of saying that he would “do it all over again and wouldn’t change a thing”. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Leah Baxter Durkee; daughters, Lorraine Dickerson (Robert), Lois Roehrs (David); son, Brian E. Durkee (Doris); seven grand-children and six great-grandchildren. Services are necessarily private at graveside though a celebration of his life will be held at a later date as circumstances allow.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Memorial Park Funeral Home, 5668 Poplar Ave, Memphis, TN 38119, 901-767-8930....."A Fitting Farewell For Everyone"......
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