Peter Durkson

1936 - 2016

Peter Durkson

Washington City

Peter Durkson

August 2, 1936 - November 24, 2016

Peter was born to Mike Durkson and Thelma Redman on August 2, 1936 in Cambridge, MA, joining his one year old sister Michele to complete the family. He passed away at his home in Washington City, Utah, with his wife, Cindy Roy, by his side, Thanksgiving night, November 24, 2016. What happened during the "dash" was a remarkable life.

Always enterprising, Peter had a newspaper route and washed windows while attending his early schooling at Haverford High - completing high school in Alhambra, California. Summers were spent with his uncle in Montana working on his horse powered ranch near Bozeman, MT. That experience triggered his interest in the forest and wilderness. He worked for the Forest Service, living in fire watch towers and collecting specimens for monitoring insects, plants, etc. for forest management.

Education was very important to Peter after he was encouraged by a special teacher to continue his education. He graduated from Swarthmore College and did his graduate work at Harvard University. He was on the wrestling team in high school and played football in college.

Peter was an officer in the Navy from 1959 to 1963. His work title was Shipbuilding Superintendent. He was the Industrial Manager as well as the Production Planning and Control Officer. Peter helped build the Kitty Hawk. He was also sent to sea during the Cuban crisis. Peter married Polly while living in Philadelphia and working at the Naval Shipyard and made a lifelong friend, Steve Baranov of Pacific Palisades, CA.

In the late sixties, Peter got a job offer and moved to Europe. Working for IOS, he was in charge of recruiting and training an international sales team. He made many lifelong friends during that time, including Brooks Pace of Dammeron Valley, UT; Tom Holland, Paris, France; Wil Norberg (deceased) and wife Michele; Scott Holden (deceased), and Carol Remo, New York City.

Peter was involved in oil exploration projects in the North Sea. Investors in Europe wanted to be involved in the oil exploration boom in Evanston, WY. Peter moved to Salt Lake City, UT where his parents lived and started Uteland Oil Company, a small private oil exploration company with wells drilling on the Overthrust Belt near Evanston. While working out of his office in the Boston Building downtown SLC, Peter made friends with some of the homeless people who were living on the street. It was especially hard during the cold winters. He helped put together the first homeless shelter in SLC.

In 1975, Peter met the love of his life, Cindy Roy. He became the stepdad to her two children, Joe Etcheverry of Maui, HI and Lori Roy Hamp (deceased). By 1986, Peter was knee deep in helping Cindy, his wife, with her beloved horse business, DraperDale Riding School in Draper, UT. There his skills for organizing big projects came in handy as they restored and rebuilt the rundown indoor arenas and ten acre horse property to accommodate 50 to 60 horses at any given time.

Peter was also lovingly helping his mom and dad during their last years. He helped his dad set up a library at the University of Utah for geriatric issues. They had a wonderful bonding time while working on this project.

He was a champion of environmental causes and was the author of "The Courage to be Green."

In 2005 Peter and Cindy traveled to Europe and stayed at their friend Tom Holland's restored 20 hector farm 2 hours south of Paris. They followed the dressage circuit throughout Europe. Highlights were the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, the Cadre Noir in France, Worendorf in Germany, the Trakanener breeding farm in Pankur, Germany, and international dressage shows in Bern and Biarritz, France.

The years 2005 to 2010 were spent in Maui, HI. Peter worked for the Maui Food Bank, was the president of the Maui Council on Aging, and helped Cindy with her horse, dog and house sitting business. He took on another big project in Maui when his friend had to abandon his business, the Odyssey House Specialty Store in Kahului. Peter and Cindy managed to sell out all the items in the huge store in six weeks.

In 2010 Peter and Cindy moved to St. George to be closer to family. Becoming a Realtor 6 years ago, Peter took on several big projects including remodeling two derelict houses. Staging and selling a remote cabin on 160 acres surrounded by the Dixie National Forest was another adventure that was dear to him. His last big project with Realtypath Fidelity St. George is a 1400 acre ranch on Pinto Road in Iron County. The Page Ranch is still for sale.

Peter never did anything halfway. He put his heart and soul into his work. Even after he got a terminal diagnosis, he continued to want to help other people. His last project was the Caregiver Comfort Cookie Club which he started with Dixie Hospice. He wanted to give caregivers special recognition with a box of cookies and an affirmation or a joke to brighten their day. The second one was delivered just before Peter left.

His caregivers at Dixie Hospice, Cindy, Georgia and Amie, as well as Derek, Dr. Carter and Dr. Parkinson all encouraged and cared for Peter as they helped him make his journey to what he called the fertile void. No services are planned for Peter as he requested. He donated his body to science--his one last gift.