Mrs. JOE (Matilda Miller) Parnell DURRANT 1904-2004

WELLS, MILLER, PARNELL, DURRANT, BERG, MILNER, AMUNDSON

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 7/14/2005 at 18:58:41

Mrs. JOE (Matilda Miller) Parnell DURRANT

Matilda Miller Parnell Durrant was born December 27, 1904, on the rural Waukon farm of her parents, Bruce and Amelia (Wells) Miller. She graduated from Waukon High School in 1922 after taking the Normal Training curriculum and being active in the music and basketball programs. She taught rural school for several years before marrying James Parnell at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. Following his death, she returned to teaching in Waterville and Waukon while attending Luther College in Decorah in the summers. After earning her music degree, she taught at Logan Junior High School in La Crosse, Wis., for several years. She married Joe Durrant in La Crosse and the two of them lived in Boscobel, Wis., for many years. Matilda stayed in Boscobel following Joe's death, until 1991, when she returned to Waukon and became a resident of Good Samaritan Center. She died there Monday, January 12, 2004, at the age of 99. Matilda was a member of various professional educational organizations. She loved music, played the piano, and was an accomplished vocalist. She also enjoyed traveling extensively with Joe following his retirement.

Survivors include a daughter, Dorothy (Marlin) Berg of Cedar Rapids; a son, Joe (Barbara) Durrant of Columbus, Ohio; five grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her two husbands; a daughter, Darlene (Bob) Milner; two grandsons, Toby Durrant and Christopher Berg; and a sister, Marilla Amundson.

Private graveside services were held at Oakland Cemetery in Waukon with Martin Funeral Home handling arrangements.

©Waukon Standard 2004
source: Waukon Standard, Waukon, Allamakee Co. IA, 1/21/2004
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Added by Connie Ellis, Feb 7, 2011:
Abstracted from the obituary of Joseph G. Durrant (Matilda's 2nd husband):

Joseph G. Durrant, of Boscobel, Wisconsin died October 19, 1985 while pheasant hunting at DeSmet,South Dakota. His funeral was in Boscobel, Wisconsin. He was born June 8, 1907 in Chicago, Illinois.

Survivors:
A daughter from his first marriage, Mrs. Robert (Darlene) Millner of Elk Grove, Village, Illinois

A son Duane Durrant (this is probably Joe mentioned in Matilda's obituary) of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and an adopted daughter, Mrs. Marlin (Dorothy Parnell) Berg of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; 6 grandchildren and 2 great-granchildren.

He married Matilda in LaCrosse, Wisconsin on June 1, 1963. His first wife had died.

~Waukon, Iowa newspaper clipping, Between October 24 - November 5, 1985