Don Durgin

DURGIN-Don. Died December 26, 2003, at Lenox Hill Hospital, at age 79, from an aneurism. Beloved husband of Catherine Meacham Durgin. Father of William Ryerson Durgin II of Manhattan, and Hillary Durgin Harmon of Houston, TX. Grandfather of Murphey, Cornelius Kelley, Samuel and Therese Harmon. Don's first wife, Therese Keresey, died in 1981. Don graduated from the Hotchkiss School 1941, Princeton University, A.B., summa cum laude in 1945, and LLB, NYU 1954. During WW II, First Lieutenant U.S. Army Air Corps, flying combat missions as a B-17 bombardier, 8th Air Force (96th Bomb Group) 1943-45 from England. Don retired in 2001 as Vice Chairman of Newsweek magazine, which he joined in 1989. He spent most of his career at NBC Television Network 1949-'75, leaving briefly in 1951 to join ABC Television Network, becoming at age 32, Vice President ABC Radio Network. Returned to NBC in 1957 as Vice President National Sales NBC Television Network and then President of the NBC Television Network from 1965-'73. Executive Vice President NBC 1973-'75. Don began his career at Foote, Cone & Belding in 1947, becoming Assitant Account Executive. Following his years at NBC, he became President McAffrey & McCall advertising agency, 1975-'76. Director, American Savings Bank. Executive Vice President, Dun & Bradstreet 1977-'82 in charge of broadcast and publishing operations. Vice President marketing 1982-'88. Society of the Cincinnati. Memorial service Saint James' Church, January 23, at 11 AM. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Don Durgin Scholarship at Princeton University, P.O. Box 5357, Princeton, NJ 08543; or to The Princeton Triangle Club, c/o McCarter Theatre, Princeton, NJ 08543.