George Edwin Durham

Born May 14, 1940

Died July 12, 2017

Lt. Col. (Ret.) George Edwin Durham, 77, passed away peacefully at his home Wednesday morning, July 12, 2017. Visitation will be held Saturday, July 15, 2017 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Forest Park The Woodlands Funeral Home, 18000 Interstate 45 South, The Woodlands, Texas 77384. A funeral service will be held immediately after the visitation followed by interment at Forest Park The Woodlands Cemetery.

Lt. Col. Durham born May 14, 1940, in Brookhaven, MS, to Lt. Col. Thomas and Estelle Durham. He graduated from Brookhaven High School in 1958, Mississippi State University in 1962, and earned Master’s degree from Boston University in 1974.

Lt. Col. Durham was a military spy serving as a counter intelligence officer for over 21 years and tactical intelligence officer for over 10 years in the U.S. Army. Lt. Col. Durham served three tours in Vietnam, 1965, 1969, and 1971. He was director of the U.S. Army Rapid Deployment Force/U.S. Army Counter Terrorist Unit at Central Command. He was awarded the Legion of Merit, National Defense Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Air Medal, Bronze Star, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation (OLC), Armed Forces Honor Medal (1st Class), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, and two Overseas Service Ribbons.

George and Peggy loved their family and hosting family and friends in their home. George loved hunting and especially being in a duck blind and goose field with friends and family. He lived abroad with his family in Belgium, Italy, Germany, and in the U.S. in Mississippi, Arizona, Texas, California, Florida, Maryland, Louisiana and Georgia.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Peggy Gastrell Durham; his parents, Col. (Ret.) Thomas F. Durham Sr. and Estelle Western Durham; father and mother-in law, Samuel Gastrell and Maxie Raines Gastrell; brothers-in-law Bobby Burress and James Corbett.

Survived by his children, George Edwin (Ged) Durham, Jr. and Kelly Durham Sowda and husband Chris; brother Lt. Col. Thomas F. Durham Jr. and wife Frances, sister Deanna Durham Burress, sisters-in-law Patricia Gastrell Corbett and Joyce Hill Johnson and husband Ken, brother-in-law Gregory Samuel Gastrell and wife Diane; grandchildren, Taylor Aleen (Ali) Sowda, Kadie Elyse Durham, George Edwin (Ty) Durham, III, Cheyenne Saunders Sowda and a host of nieces and nephews.

Honorary pall bearers are Dave Berry, Al Bingham, Tommy Daniels, Jason Daniels, Paul Koestler, Norville Parsell, John Vaughn, Keith Word.

Memorials may be made to American Cancer Society.