Durr, James R. L. 1939-2022

DURR, BIRCH, DURR, EGGEN

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 2/4/2022 at 14:07:45

James Richard Lee Durr, 82, of 1210 Lincoln Ave., Dubuque, passed away on February 1, 2022 at UnityPoint Finley Hospital from COVID-19 pneumonia. Per his wishes, there will be no services. Inurnment will be in Dubuque Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Key West.

Jim was born March 3, 1939 in McGregor, Clayton County, Iowa, the first child of LeRoy A. and Viola (Birch) Durr. He was baptized May 11, 1939 at the Congregational Church parsonage, McGregor, IA. He spent most of his childhood years living with his grandparents, Arthur and Hilma (Eggen) Durr in McGregor. His teen years were spent with his father and stepmother in Indianola and Clermont, IA. He graduated from Clermont High School on May 24, 1956, being a member of the last class to graduate from Clermont High. While attending high school, he worked at the milk drying plant in Clermont and setting pins at the bowling alley. Upon completion of high school, he built bridges with his father until he became employed by the Northwestern Bell Telephone Company on May 20, 1957. He worked there for 28 ½ years, except for the time he spent in the Army serving his country. He served in Colorado, New Mexico, North Carolina and Louisiana and was called up to standby duty for the Bay of Pigs Invasion of Cuba. After finishing his tour, he was honorably discharged in January of 1964.

On October 7, 1963, he married Mary Ellen Schave, the daughter of Glen and Dorothy (Livingood) Schave, at her parent’s home in Gunder, IA. Mary joined him in Louisiana, where they lived in Leesville, just off-base of Fort Polk. After his tour of duty with the Army, Jim and Mary returned to Elkader, IA where Jim returned to work for Northwestern Bell Telephone’s line-crew. They lived in Guttenberg, in an apartment in the old Guttenberg Hospital building. Their bathroom had been the hospital nursery and the living room had been the delivery room. After a year with Elkader Northwestern Bell Telephone Company crew, “Ma Bell” transferred Jim to Dubuque, where he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. After retiring from the telephone company in 1986, Jim and Mary started their own recycling business, expanding to buildings on Badger Road in Wisconsin after outgrowing their garage on Lincoln Avenue. They also ran a pallet recovery business from the Wisconsin location.

Jim was preceded in death by his mother Viola (Birch) Tretter in 1972; his father LeRoy A. Durr in March 2011; his step-mother, Paula in 1996; his brother, William in August 2014; his step-sister, Judy Kohrs in 2016; his half-brother, Leo in 2017; three brothers-in-law, Marvin Lantz in 1970, Gerald Wander in 2001 and William Schave in 2021; his father and mother-in-law, Glen in 2000 and Dorothy Schave in 2008 and a sister-in-law, Sandy Wander in 2009.

Left to remember Jim is his wife, Mary; two sons, Richard (Louise) Durr of Florida and Brian (Valerie) Durr of Dubuque; grandchildren, Cody and Caleb Durr and Erica Stowers; step-grandchildren, Monte, Miata, Milan and Montana Sprank, all of Dubuque; one great-granddaughter, Ezralynn Stowers of Dubuque; four half-sisters, Donna, Shelia and Carla of California and Rhonda (Chris) Mock of Arkansas; numerous nieces and nephews; nephew-in-law, Mike Lantz; two nieces-in-law, Lori Lantz of Cedar Falls and Mandi (Steve) Rattigan of Florida; one great-niece-in-law, Tifani (Mrs. Bill Daly) and two great-nephews-in-law, Tyler Bushman and Anthony (Tony) Bushman.