Marvin W. Durrant

Marvin W. Durrant, 87, of The Woodlands, Texas passed away Tuesday September 27, 2011. Visitation will be held at 2 pm to 3 pm and funeral service following at 3 pm on Saturday October 1, at the Memorial Funeral Chapel in College Station, with the Rev. Jess Meyers of the First Christian Church officiating. Graveside services and internment will follow at College Station Cemetery.

Marvin was born on June 1, 1924 in the Manning community of Scott County, Kansas. After graduating from Manning High school, he attended Fort Hayes State Teachers College in Hayes, Kansas. Marvin enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1943 as a Naval Aviator cadet, and graduated as a Naval Aviator for the PBY and Martin Mariner seaplanes. He married his college sweetheart, Marcine Dawn Mellick of La Crosse, Kansas at the U.S. Naval Air Station in Corpus Christi, Texas on February 17, 1945. The war ended while Lt. Durrant was serving at Banana River Naval Air Station in Florida. Marvin and Marcine returned to Scott City, where he began a career of farming wheat, raising beef cattle and producing hybrid crop seed. Marvin moved his family to Bryan-College Station Texas in 1963 where he was started and operated four successful businesses. He was a member of First Christian Church of Bryan. He retired in 1997 to a lakeside home in College Station where he could enjoy watching the geese and fishing from his back yard every day. Marvin was active in community organizations including serving as State Chairman of the Kansas Jaycees. Marvin loved the outdoors and was an avid hunter and fisherman. Marvin was a loving father and family man who enjoyed backyard barbeques and visiting with friends and family. He was known to be generous with his friendship and to share what he had with others.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Clifford W. and Lora B. Durrant, of Scott City, Kansas and brother Marion L. Durrant of Tampa, Florida.

Marvin is survived by Marcine, his wife of 66 years, by his children Don Durrant of Austin, Lane Durrant of Bryan, Jan Durrant of The Woodlands and Noel Durrant of Austin, 5 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.

The family expresses their gratitude to the caregivers of Silverado Hospice and The Terrace at The Woodlands for the kindness, support and comfort they gave to Marvin and his family.