www.heraldandnews.com
Douglas Durrell
Walden
Herald and News 10/08/08
Douglas
Durrell Walden, 75, died peacefully at home
i n T u l e - lake, Calif., on Oct. 5, 2008.
To celebrate Durrell’s life, a memor ia l service will be held at the Tulelake Presbyterian Church on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008, at 2 p.m. with Del McAmos officiating. Private cremation and inurnment will be held at Eternal Hills Memorial Gardens. Military honors will be provided by the Veterans and U.S. Army during the graveside service.
Durrell was born on May 20, 1933, to James Douglas and Violet Inez Barton Walden in Tahoka, Texas.
The family moved to New Mexico and then, when he was 6, they moved to the Klamath Basin. After graduation from Tulelake High School, he entered the U.S. Army, serving from March of 1951 to May of 1953, and then was honorably discharged as a corporal.
He returned to Tulelake, where he married his high school sweetheart Pauline “Polly” Haynes on Oct. 31, 1953, and began a career in farming. In 2003, Durrell and Polly celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with family and friends.
Durrell was dedicated to the Tulelake Presbyterian Church, where he was an active member and served as an elder for many years. He also enjoyed the Presbyterians’ Mariners Club. He was also a member of the DeMolay as master counselor, Tulelake V.F.W. Lodge and American Legion and served as president of the National Farmers Organization.
Durrell enjoyed farming, welding and repairing (everything). He was a hunter and fisherman, enjoying hunting for elk and deer in Oregon, Montana and Canada in his ea rlier days a nd more recently steelhead fishing on the Coquille River. Durrell spent much of his time with family and friends watching his children and grandchildren play sports.
Durrell devoted his life to his family and is survived by his wife Polly Walden, of Tulelake; his children and their spouses, Betsy and Doug Healing of Auburn, Ca l i f., D way ne D ou glas Walden of Keno, Ore., Judy and Joe Gonzalez of Solvang, Calif., Jim and Debra Walden of Tulelake, Alan and Marty Walden of Tulelake; his mother, Violet Inez Walden of Klamath Falls, Ore.; brother Floyd Walden of Rogue River, Ore.; his grandchildren, Joshu a a nd Ju l iea n ne Healing, of Auburn, Calif., Carly and Todd Retelsdorf, of Troutman, N.C., Sgt. Derek and Jessica Walden of Fort Hood, Texas, Tristen Walden of Portland, Ore., Lance Cpl. Whitnie Walden of Yuma, Ariz., Rachel Gonzalez of Chico, Calif., Michael Gonzalez of Solvang, Calif., Matthew Gonzalez of Solvang, Calif., Lisa and Armando Ornelas of Livermore, Calif., Jennifer Hilke of Seattle Wash., Katie Walden of Ashland, Ore., Holly Walden of Ashland, Ore., Jordan Walden of Tulelake, Jake Walden of Tulelake; his great-grandchildren A lana Walden of Fort Hood, Texas, and Devon Walden of Fort Hood, Texas.
He was preceded in death by his father James Douglas Walden, who passed in 1978.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Tulelake Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 760, Tulelake, CA 96134.