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Robert Durr Obituary
A memorial service will be at 6 p.m. Friday at Whole Wheat Radio in Talkeetna.
Durr was born Aug. 27, 1925, in Brooklyn, N.Y., to Grace and Alfred Durr. After serving his country stateside during World War II, Durr married Carol Lipps and earned a doctoral degree from Johns Hopkins University. In 1968, Durr left a full professorship of English at Syracuse University and moved his family to Alaska, settling north of Talkeetna on the shores of "Back Lake" in 1970. Two and a half years ago he relocated to Talkeetna for health reasons.
Durr commercial fished in Bristol Bay from 1964 to 1970. As an artist, his efforts earned him numerous state-wide awards.
Durr's many publications include two nonfiction novels with St. Martin's Press: Down in Bristol Bay: High Tides, Hangovers, and Harrowing Experiences on Alaska's Last Frontier (1999) and The Coldman Cometh: A Family's Adventure in the Alaska Bush (2004).
His family said: "Our father was an adventurer in all areas of his life, and he lived life to the fullest. He loved his life at Back Lake, where he could hear the wind in the trees, the loons on the lake and the soft hiss of the fire in his woodstove. He also felt blessed to be part of the Talkeetna community. We loved him, and he will be greatly missed.
"His eldest sons, Steven and Jonathan, cared for their father in his later years, allowing him to enjoy the life he loved for as long as possible. The family would like to thank Sunshine Community Health Center and Talkeetna and Trapper Creek EMS, among others."
He is survived by his sons, Steven Durr and Jonathan Durr of Talkeetna and Robert Woods of Seattle; daughters, Sarah Birdsall of Talkeetna and Elizabeth Kay of Grants Pass, Ore.; grandsons, Christopher Birdsall and Zachary Kay; granddaughters, Cara Durr, Jessica Durr, Jennifer Birdsall and Annabelle Woods; and many friends.
Memorial donations may be sent to Sunshine Community Health Center, P.O. Box 787, Talkeetna, AK 99676.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Robert Durr
4 Entries
Noreen Crews
February 26, 2009
Bob: Thanks for all the good times and great memories of the singular, like-minded community we all once called "home". Your zest will always be a source of great inspiration. Noreen
Susan Deer Cloud
February 18, 2009
Hey, Bob ..... As we say, "The path to Spirit World is bordered with strawberries." Hope you ate some sweet strawberries and June sunshine on the way to the "Happy Hunting Grounds," as you liked to call the next world ...... oh, I love the hat. Positively jaunty. Susan
Michael Castle
February 17, 2009
. . . a huge loss to everyone that had the chance to know him. He will be missed.
Michael Castle from Talkeetna now living in the Philippines.
Karen L. Lew
February 17, 2009
When I was writing about the arts in Alaska, I met Bob Durr. Later I had the pleasure of working with him when he designed some artwork for a project at ADF&G. Bob was a fascinating person, and I'm glad I knew him, even for a short while.
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