Martha E. Durey 1916 - 2009

JOHNSON, DUREY, WERK, BANY, KUNDE, OBRECHT

Posted By: Nancy (email)
Date: 8/23/2009 at 19:16:39

Martha E. Durey, 92, of Manchester, Iowa, formerly of Fayette, died Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2009, at home following a brief illness.

Funeral services were held Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2009, at Manchester United Methodist Church. The Rev. Roger Henry officiated.

Inurnment will be at a later date at Grandview Cemetery in Fayette.

Bohnenkamp-Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Manchester, was in charge of arrangements.

Martha E. (Johnson) Durey was born Oct. 11, 1916, in Charles City to James Conrad and Ina Lydia (Werk) Johnson.

Raised in Fayette, she graduated from Fayette High School in 1935. Martha took Normal training and attended Greeley State College (now the University of Northern Colorado) in Greeley, Colo., and Upper Iowa University in Fayette.

After her graduation in the late 1930s, she taught elementary school in McCallsburg and Greene, and after moving to Delaware County she was a frequent substitute teacher in Manchester.

On Dec. 28, 1943, Martha was united in marriage with Forrest E. Durey Sr. in West Union. In 1950 they moved to the family farm west of Manchester, where they lived the rest of their lives. Forrest preceded Martha in death on Dec. 2, 2006.

Martha was a member of Manchester United Methodist Church, where she was Sunday school superintendent and active in United Methodist Women.

Martha helped organize and was the first president of the then Delaware County Memorial Hospital Auxiliary. She volunteered countless hours managing the gift shop and organizing the Candy Cane Carnival.

She was on the board of Christians Concerned and Operation New View and started the Crop Walk. She also volunteered at the Good Neighbor Home each week.

Martha was a 50-year member of the Fayette chapter of P.E.O.

She was preceded in death by her parents, James and Ina Johnson; her husband, Forrest Durey Sr.; and six siblings, June Johnson Bany, and Harold, Howard, Eugene, Warren and Theodore Johnson.

Martha is survived by three children, Forrest E. "Fuzzy" Durey Jr. of Manchester, Stan H. Durey of Doylestown, Pa., Donna (David) Kunde of Manchester, eight grandchildren; three stepgrandchildren; two great-granddaughters; and a sister, Esther Obrecht of Clarion.

Fayette County Union, 19 August 2009