James Matthew Durry

MR. JAMES MATTHEW DURRY, RESIDENT OF SELMA, AL. TRANSITIONED FROM LABOR TO REWARD ON JANUARY 23, 2023. FUNERAL SERVICES ARE SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2023 11 AM AT OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE CATHOLIC CHURCH. INTERMENT WILL BE HELD TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2023 11:45 AM AT ALABAMA NATIONAL CEMETERY IN MONTEVALLO,AL.

EARLY YEARS: BORN SEPTEMBER 20, 1928 IN SELMA, ALABAMA TO MARY JOHNSON AND JEMES DURRY. JAMES WAS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE DON BOSCO BOYS CLUB AND WAS BAPTIZED INTO THE CATHOLIC FAITH.  JAMES WAS A FAITHFUL MEMBER OF SAINT ELIZABETH CATHOLIC CHURCH AND CONTINUED TO SERVE  ONCE THE CHURCH MERGED ITS CONGREGATION TO  QUEEN OF PEACE CATHOLIC CHURCH. HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH COUNCIL,KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, VOLUNTEERED AS THE SUNDAY VAN  DRIVER AND FAITHFULLY ATTENDED  SUNDAY SCHOOL UNTIL HIS HEALTH FAILED. 

EDUCATION: HE ATTENDED EAST END ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND HE LATER DROPPED OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL IN THE 11TH  GRADE TO WORK AND TAKE CARE OF HIS AILING MOTHER. HE RETURNED AND GRADUATED FROM R.B. HUDSON HIGH SCHOOL BEFORE BEING DRAFTED INTO THE U.S. ARMY WHERE HE SERVED FOR TWO  YEARS IN THE KOREAN WAR. HE GRADUATED FROM TUSKEGEE INSTITUTE WITH A B.S. IN BIOLOGY  AND A MASTER DEGREE FROM DILLARD UNIVERSITY IN NEW ORLEANS, LA.

CAREER: TAUGHT AT D.H. SMITH HIGH SCHOOL IN OZARK, AL UPON GRADUATION. LATER, HE SERVED AS THE BIOLOGY TEACHER AND ATHLETIC COACH AT SAINT JUDE CATHOLIC SCHOOL IN MONTGOMERY, AL WHERE HE LATER RETIRED.

COMMUNITY SERVICE: HE VIEWED SPIRITUALITY AS A LIFE-LONG PURSUIT AND WAS COMMITTED TO SERVING HIS COMMUNITY. HE SERVED AS THE WARD 8 CITY COUNCILMAN FOR FOUR YEARS, BROWN BAG AND MEALS ON WHEELS VOLUNTEER FOR OVER 20 YEARS, AND HE WAS AN AVID COMMUNITY ACTIVIST. IN THE 1960S, HE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT WHERE HE HOUSED AND TRANSPORTED FREEDOM FIGHTERS WHO SOUGHT SOCIAL JUSTICE IN SELMA, AL.

PRECEDED IN DEATH BY: HIS PARENTS , FIVE BROTHERS: JOSEPH, GEORGE, JESSE, JOHNSON, JEMES, AND L.C. DURRY. FOUR SISTERS: ELOUISE, BESSIE, AND ANNIE JOHNSON, ETHEL LEE DURRY AND GRANDSON JOHN DAVID CHILDERS.

SURVIVORS: HE LEAVES TO CHERISH HIS MEMORY HIS BELOVED AND DEVOTED WIFE OF 65 YEARS BERTHA GIBSON DURRY, (SELMA, AL)2 DAUGHTERS FRANCETTA (ROBERT) CHILDERS, (SELMA, AL) VENUS (ANDRE’) ROPER (PINSON, AL).  

GRANDCHILDREN: FRANTHIA BERMAE CHILDERS, ROBERT JAMES CHILDERS, CONNER JARON (MYEISHA) CHILDERS, ALL OF SELMA, AL ANDRE’ ROPER JR. AND AVERY ROPER (PINSON, AL).

GREAT GRANDCHILDREN: JADA MATTHEWS AND KALEB CHILDERS (SELMA, AL).KENNEDICOWAN (PRATTVILLE, AL) 

EXTENDED FAMILY: GWENDOLYN STEWART, EDWARD COLES, LINDA CHILDERS, JOSEPH CHILDERS, MAURICE MERCHANT, CARLOUS MACK, NYKETA (JOE) RABB, JACOBY RABB, AND JOURNI RABB (MONTGOMERY, AL)

GOD CHILDREN: JOHN BRANDON SOLOMON, MIA HAMM,WANDA AND DENA GLOVER, and Patrick Ivey.

SPECIAL FRIENDS: LOUISE STEELE, STEPHANIE AND BILL HAMM, GEORGE EVANS, ATTORNEY  YUSUF SALAAM,EUNICE WALKER, JOHN (MAMIE) SOLOMON, PATICIA MURRY WADE, AND A HOST OF LOVING NIECES, NEPHEWS, FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: THE FAMILY OF THE LATE JAMES M. DURRY WISHES TO EXPRESS OUR SINCEREST APPRECIATION FOR ALL OF THE KIND WORDS, PRAYERS, THOUGHTS, ADN GESTURES EXTENDED TO US AT THIS DIFFICULT TIME. WE WOULD LIKE TO ESPECIALLY THANK DR. EARNEST E. OKEKE, DR. PARK CHITTOM, MRS. SARAH FRANKLIN, N.P., MRS. BRENDA MCCARY, THE STAFF OF SOUTHERN BEACON HOSPICE, VA MEDICAL CENTER (SELMA, AL), VAUGHAN REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER, AND SPECIAL CAREGIVERS: GREGORY OLDS AND DESIREE STRONG, AND DR. SHARON CRITTENDEN AND THE ST. JUDE CLASS OF 1981

PALLBEARERS: GRANDSONS, GREAT-GRANDSONS, AND NEPHEWS

REPASS: IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING SERVICE 309 WASHINGTON STREET, SELMA,AL. 36703

THE CARING AND COMPASSIONATE STAFF AT ASHLEY'S JH WILLIAMS & SONS FUNERAL HOME EXTENDS OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHY AND HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES TO THE ENTIRE DURRY-CHILDERS FAMILY.

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