Shirley Durrill

SHIRLEY DURRILL, known by the name "SAM" peacefully ascended past this level of life Friday June 13th. Shirley was born in Houston, January 17, 1936 to Inez & Garland Fielder. She graduated from Lamar High School in Houston and attended the University of Texas in Austin. While attending the University she met her future husband Dusty Durrill. Dusty was attending Texas A&M and almost wore out his car making weekly trips to visit Shirley in Austin. Dusty graduated from A&M and became a Navy Carrier Pilot. When he received his wings and fleet orders in Corpus Christi he asked Shirley to marry him, travel to his new base & set up homemaking in Imperial Beach, California. Shirley said "YES". 2 weeks later they were married on Sept. 7th, 1957 and started their family eventually totaling five children. Shirley Durrill was preceded in death by her first daughter Devary. She is survived by her husband Dusty, daughters Michelle, Ginger, Melissa and son William Jr. William Jr. married Shanda and they have a daughter Avery and two sons, Billy & Conner. Michelle married James Gourley and they have two daughters, McKinna and Riley. Melissa married Shawn Holtz and they have two sons, Garrett and Kaden. Shirley & Dusty did everything together and considered themselves equal partners in philanthropy. Shirley kept the books, paid the bills, handled all their cash and provided Dusty the funds necessary to create the Blas Maria de la Garza Falcon statue, the Miradores, benches on the seawall, Robo Trooper, the Selena Memorial, the A&M entrance project and The Del Mar Lighthouse project. Shirley & Ella Bouligney donated the 50,000 square foot Albertsons building on Staples & Kostoryz to Del Mar. Shirley had special projects that she kept to herself. We were told she had all the palms at the botanical garden moved and planted, quietly paying for it all. She also supported the Red Cross and the Women's Shelter, especially at Xmas. Shirley always kept her own nest egg to quietly help others less fortunate than herself. Shocked by the loss of Devary, Sam and Dusty transformed their grief into the Devary Durrill Foundation to create many everlasting improvements, beautifing the entire community they loved. Visitation will be from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 18, 2008 at Seaside Funeral Home. A Funeral Service will be held that same day at 10:00 a.m. at the Seaside Funeral Home Chapel with interment to follow at Seaside Memorial Park. SEASIDE MEMORIAL PARK & FUNERAL HOME 4357 OCEAN DRIVE, CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS 78412 361.992.9411