February 17 1926 May 21 2020
Jessie’s Obituary Jessie William Durkee was born February 17, 1926 to Lewis and Fanny Shelby in Plain, New Mexico. She attended School at Forrest, NM. Jessie chose to follow Christ at a Convention in Happy, TX when she was 14 and was baptized there as a teenager in a cattle tank. She graduated High School in 1943. One weekend in October 1942, Jessie attended a church convention on a farm near Perry, OK with her family. There, she met a young Navy man, George Durkee who had traveled over from Norman, OK where he was stationed. Mr. Shelby gave George a ride back to base in the back of the pickup. Jessie rode in the pickup bed with him. A few letters were exchanged between George and Jessie and they married on June 12, 1943 in Oklahoma City at the Office of the Justice of the Peace. After 18 months in Oklahoma, they went by train to Key West, FL where he was based until discharge from the Navy November 1945 when they moved to San Diego, CA. Jessie worked for short times at a variety of jobs: General Dynamics, San Diego, Home Economics at Grossmont Community College, and she taught dressmaking and alterations in her home in California. She loved being a homemaker and a mother to many in the San Diego area. George and Jessie had a church meeting in their home for 40 years in Lemon Grove, CA. They moved to Sanger, TX in August 2007, where they lived for 5 years. Her last years were spent in Denton, TX at The Vintage and Brookdale Assisted Living Centers. Jessie is preceded in death by her husband of over 73 years George, and by siblings; Bert Shelby, Stella VanHouten, Grace Box, Leonard Shelby, and Emma Phelan. Jessie is survived by 3 children: Eva Marie Durkee of Chula Vista, CA, Duane and Barb Durkee of Helena, MT, and Darryl and Goldie Durkee of Sanger, TX. He has 3 grandchildren: Shannon Durkee of Boise, ID, Shaun and Emily Durkee of Bozeman, MT and Jason Durkee of Denton, TX. She has 2 great-grandchildren: Lila and Forrest Durkee, 8 nephews, 4 nieces and a host of friends. She will be interred at the DFW National Cemetery, with her faithful husband at a later date. For those that can not attend: Audio: Call (978) 990-5162, when prompted, enter 7588475# Video: join.freeconferencecall.com/dgandj enter your name, email, join meeting Read More
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Jessie William Durkee February 17 1926 May 21 2020.
Bill DeBerry Funeral Directors
Death notice for the town of: Denton, state: Texas