Marvin Durham

Marvin “Marv” Durham of Philomath died July 29, 2010. He had lived in Philomath for 37 years. He was born in Seattle, Wash., to Wendell Heaton Durham and Edith Laura Brintnal Durham. He attended Lawton Elementary and Queen Anne High schools in Seattle. Upon graduation in 1945, he joined the U.S. Army, and was sent to Japan as part of the Army of Occupation. After the war, he entered the University of Washington, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. He pledged SAE, and was elected president of the Interfraternity Council in his junior year. In his senior year, he served as president of the Associated Student Body. At U. Wash., he met and married Mary Opstad, the mother of his three children. He taught two years in Bellevue, Wash., going on to receive his Master of Arts and Ph.D. degrees at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He joined the University of Vermont, and became an assistant dean there. Upon the dissolution of his marriage, he joined the faculty as an administrator of the East-West Center of the University of Hawaii, Manoa campus. In 1970, he joined the Oregon State University faculty as a foreign student and scholar adviser. He met Beverly Cochran of Honolulu, Hawaii, and they were married at the Episcopal Church of the Good Samaritan in Corvallis. He was also a member of the Interfaith Prayer Group, and served on the board of Westminster House. He worked with John Connor and others in peace studies and conflict resolution. He was a member of the National Association of Foreign Student Affairs, and served as a regional chair. He was also a member of Crossroads, and he and Beverly worked with Philomath AFS. He volunteered at Stone Soup as a vegetable chopper. Mr. Durham served on the Philomath City Council, and was involved in the planning commission, and budget, bond and comprehensive review. He was a member of the Queen Anne Alumni Association. Survivors include his wife, Beverly; son M.T. (Tom) Durham of Rio Rancho, N.M., wife, Tina, and sons Chandler and Sean; son Fritz Durham of Boise, Idaho; daughter Emilia (Mia) Spencer, husband, Andrew, son Richard Kessler, and daughters Emma and Holland; stepdaughter Shane Fritz of Boardman, daughters Lara Fritz and Sara Fritz Elkington (husband, Seth); stepson Nicholas Cochran of Santa Ana, Calif.; sister Gwendolyn Braile of Belfair, Wash.; nieces Dr. Margaret Braile, Lawrence Braile and Linda Package; and a nephew, Michael Durham. He was preceded in death by a brother, Lloyd Durham. He loved to sing old tunes, read poetry, and make fudge. A memorial service is set for 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 21, at the Episcopal Church of the Good Samaritan. Memorial contributions can be made to Dial-A-Bus, Heartland Humane Society or the Corvallis Homeless Shelter Coalition.

Tributes

Marvin Durham

September 17, 1927 - July 29, 2010