Joseph Duris

Joseph Duris died peacefully at his home in Poway, CA on June 28th, his family at his side. Joe was 97. Just out of high school, Joe enlisted in the Navy during WWII. He often talked about his ship being part of an armada observing A-bomb testing. Poway Veterans honored Joe and others with local hero banners on Midland near the Veterans' Park. A portrait of him joined a WWII Veterans' Wall in San Diego Joe completed his Bachelor degree at Kent State Ohio; his Master and Specialist degrees at Wayne State Michigan. He moved from classroom to H.S. Principal to Superintendent's office in MI before retiring from education to begin a second successful career in financial services. Joe never lost his passion for golf, a day of fishing, or a game of gin rummy, poker or bridge. He was a prize-winning woodworker and master gardener. He loved beating the Super Race at the casino and read every Grisham and Lee Childs novel. But mostly Joe was a family man. He married Elizabeth (Betty) Tague on Valentine's Day 1953 and together they raised six children. Joe was one of nine children of Adam and Pauline Duris. One sister, Jenny Lutterbach of MI, remains. Surviving include his wife of 71 years, Betty, five children, nine grandchildren, one great-grandchild. Paula (James) Earnest, Ellen Duris, Christine Cunningham, Joe (Carolyn) Duris, John (Mary) Duris. Grandchildren Joey (Christine) Earnest, Nick (Apryl) Earnest, Olivia Gastaldo, Elizabeth (Tony) Radcliff, Jimmy (Sarah) Cunningham, Norah Cunningham, Patrick Cunningham, Carly Duris, Joey Duris, and great-grandchild Sammy Earnest. Daughter, Karen, predeceased in 1964. If you would like to remember Joe, support the Leukemia-Lymphoma Society or your favorite charity in an effort to make a better world. The Duris family would like to thank Ivy Park at Sabre Springs for caring for Joe his last years, to Vitas Hospice for comforting his last hours, and to San Rafael Church for offering his last Mass and blessing.