Amy Lea Duringer

Amy Lea (nee Perry) Duringer, 56, of Goreville, Illinois, passed away on Sunday, January 11, 2026, in St. Louis, Missouri surrounded by her family. Amy was born on February 14, 1969, in Carbondale, Illinois.

Amy married the love of her life, David Duringer, on October 22, 1994. Together they built a life filled with love, laughter, and shared purpose.

Amy was deeply committed to education and justice. She earned her undergraduate degree in English from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, followed by a master’s degree in English and a law degree—also from SIU Carbondale. She dedicated her professional life to advocating for others, especially the elderly and vulnerable.

Most recently, Amy served as the Supervising Attorney for the Office of the Illinois Guardianship and Advocacy Commission, working from the Champaign area down to southern Illinois for three years. Prior to that, she practiced law privately beginning in 1994 and later accepted a fellowship position with Equip for Equality, where she focused on elder justice and worked in partnership with the state’s organizations for diversity and inclusion. She served in that role for two years. Amy was a passionate advocate for elder justice throughout her career.

She was a member of Mount Hebron Presbyterian Church and attended Boskydell Baptist Church. Professionally, she was a member of the Williamson County Bar Association and an Inn of Court member.

In her younger years and throughout college, Amy enjoyed competitive English Pleasure Equestrian Riding. She also loved reading, spending time with her family, and caring for her beloved fur babies. Some of her favorite quiet moments were spent sitting on her porch watching wildlife and enjoying her favorite shows, Law & Order and Criminal Minds.

Amy is survived by her loving husband, David Duringer; her twins, Savannah Duringer and Chance Duringer; her mother, Karen Boner; her brother, Theb Sexton (Melody Fo), her sisters, Kim Chamness and Nadia Boner; her niece and nephews, David Winicky, Allison Chamness, and Teddy Sexton; along with other relatives, dear friends, and her precious fur baby cat, Apollo.

She was preceded in death by her father, Gary Perry; her brother, Matthew Holder; her stepfather, Lee Boner; her grandmother, June Brewer; her grandfather, Clyde E. Brewer; her grandmother, Clara Faye Perry; her grandfather, Ernest Perry; and her cousin, Jimmy Morrison.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Blue Funeral Home of Goreville, under the direction of Binkley-Ross. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, from 4:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Goreville funeral home, located at 812 South Broadway, Goreville, Illinois. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, January 15, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at the funeral home, with interment to follow at Makanda Evergreen Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, Boskydell Baptist Church, Trinity Lutheran Church, the American Cancer Society, or the Heather Treat Memorial Fund.

Online condolences may be shared at www.binkleyross.com.