Charles Lewis Durnin, 80, of Sun City West, AZ, passed away on April 16, 2023, at his home due to complications of congestive heart failure.
Charlie was born January 23, 1943, to George and Alice Verona (Lewis) Durnin in Scottsbluff, NE, and spent his youth in Gering, NE. He graduated from Gering High School in May 1961. He attended Scottsbluff Junior College, the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, and Chadron State College prior to being drafted into the armed services in 1966. He served in the United States Army from 1966 to 1968, stationed at Dugway, Utah. Charles achieved the rank of Specialist 5th Class with career fields in physics and chemistry.
He married Janice Elaine (Stricker) Durnin on December 17, 1966, and to that union was born a daughter, Jill Ann, in 1967. The family made their home on the proving grounds at Dugway until Charlie’s discharge, and they returned to Scottsbluff / Gering. He worked for Discount Furniture and Midwec Manufacturing while attending Chadron State College to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Education. Charlie’s first teaching position was at Melbeta Public School where he taught secondary mathematics and coached boys’ track and field from 1972 to 1974. He then took the position of Head Teacher and Principal at Haig Public School where he taught 4th through 8th grade math and science, served as scorekeeper for boys’ basketball, and coached boys’ and girls’ track and field from 1974 to 1987. Many of his former students and their parents from this time period became life-long friends; visiting him personally, through phone calls, emails, and letters.
Chuck moved to Roseburg, Oregon in 1987 where he was employed by Boeing Manufacturing while he attended Lewis and Clark College to obtain an Oregon teaching certificate, earned a Master’s Degree in Education and completed courses toward a Doctorate Degree in Public School Administration. He was the head teacher and taught 4th through 8th grade in Sherman County for Wasco Grade School from 1990 to 1997. He moved to Sublimity, Oregon, where he took a position as rural school administrator for three elementary locations (Central Howell, Bethany, and Pratum) in Silver Falls School District from 1997 to 2004.
He married Diane (Reed) Miller on January 23, 1998, and they resided in Canby, Oregon, until his retirement when he relocated to Sun City West, AZ until his death.
In his free time and summers, Chuck was never idle. He and his friends would paint houses, work at the local golf courses, or he would be found reading, studying familial genealogy, listening to record albums, admiring sports cars or the latest audio equipment and technology, golfing, watching football or basketball, cleaning his fish tank and collecting new fish, woodworking and construction. He built two stereo systems and two grandfather clocks from kits. Charlie enjoyed collecting those items which he found interesting such as baseball cards, postage stamps, knives, and firearms. One of his most unique collections includes over 500 national and international miniature bottles of various liquors. If he took an interest in a particular author or musician, he would collect their entire body of literature or discography. He prided himself on owning the entire Louis L’Amour collection and read the series many times. Given his creative and meticulous characteristics, he built several models, most notably a 20-muleteam borax wagon and his beloved 1967 Pontiac GTO. Lapidary and silversmithing were hobbies he pursued later in life, creating some very beautiful and cherished pieces of jewelry. Charlie was particularly drawn to the Oregon coast and felt most at peace walking the beaches there.
Charles is survived by his daughter, Jill (Durnin) Tindell of Gering; his grandsons, Landis M. Tindell of Oklahoma City, OK, and Joseph A. Tindell of Tulsa, OK; his sister, Nancy (Durnin) Cranney of Afton, WY; nephew, Daniel Cranney and family of Laramie, WY; sister-in-law, Virginia Durnin, of Nehalem, OR; nephew, Gene Durnin and family of Salem, OR.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Jack Durnin; nephew, Bill Durnin; brother-in-law, HK Cranney; and infant nephew, Barrett Cranney.
Visitation will be on Wednesday, April 26, 2023 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Gering Memorial Chapel, 1755 11th Street. Memorial Services will be held on Thursday, April 27, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. at Gering Memorial Chapel, 1755 11th Street with interment to follow at Gering West Lawn Cemetery. Fond memories and condolences for the family may be left at www.geringchapel.com
If you wish to make a memorial donation, the family would be grateful if you considered one of the following:
Hospice of the Valley www.hov.org/donate
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society www.lls.org/des
American Heart Association www.heart.org
