Richard Lee Durbin

Richard Lee Durbin was born on May 6th, 1954 to Paul Durbin and Barbara Durbin (Anderson) in McMinnville, OR. He passed away at the Fargo VA Hospital on August 6th, 2025.

After graduating from high school in McMinnville he joined the Navy and served from 1973 to 1995 and retired as a Senior Chief Radioman.

He attended Olympic College in Bremerton, WA, and graduated with an Associate's Degree.

Rick was an avid outdoorsman as a camper, hunter and fisherman. He would spend months at a time in the woods. And he loved it. Mostly, he just really liked sitting around a campfire in the woods with all of us.

Rick and Shirley were married on 08-08-2008 in Port Orchard, WA. They made their home in Seabeck and traveled to North Dakota to visit family during the summers.

In 2016 Rick and Shirley sold their house in WA and moved to Pillsbury, ND which had a population of 15 people, one church and one bar. J

He was a devoted husband, father and friend.

"A favorite memory is going to Wildwaves in Fife, WA the day after our wedding. We had a wonderful time with family that day." - Shirley

"A lot of good memories of camping in the woods with my Dad. Too many to write down." - Eric

"One of my favorite memories is seeing him sitting on top of his camper "guarding" deer camp just in case a deer wandered through the camp while everyone else was hiking the mountain." J - Tonya

After moving to North Dakota in 2016, Rick and Shirley snowbirded to Washington State in their 5th wheel for the winters several times to visit with family and friends.

Rick is survived by his wife, Shirley of Pillsbury, ND; son, Eric Durbin of Bremerton, WA; Rick's sister, Charlene (Alan) Schultz of Hoodsport, WA; daughter, Tonya (Tim) Ramey, of Pillsbury ND; Kasey Cole of Hope, ND; granddaughters, Racheal Pettit of Tacoma, WA; Erin Pettit and fiancé, Brandon of Oklahoma, OK; Kaylauna Cooley of Valley City, ND and grandsons, Paul Durbin and great-grandsons, Jeremy Elston and Logan Pettit.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, James Durbin; grandchildren, Randy Cole and Kayleigh Cooley; and close friends, Kay Randall and Gary Cole.

He loved his dogs and cats which have also preceded him in death. Especially Whompper which was a big, giant, brown sweetheart, Casper, Teddy, Palomar, Gidget, Sissy and Dakoda.

Interment will be at Willamette National Cemetery in Happy Valley, OR.