Richard “Dick” Durant

Richard “Dick” Durant, 81, of Newton died on Wednesday, July 6, 2016 at Skiff Medical Center in Newton. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 9, at Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory. Family will greet friends from 9:30 until the time of service and again after the service with a lunch at the funeral home. Memorials to the First Lutheran Church name may be left at the funeral home. If mailed please add, attn.: Durant Family.

Richard, the son of Ragan Aldo and Dorothy (Mahl) Durant, was born May 17, 1935 in Newton. He grew up in Newton and graduated from Newton High School in 1953. Later, he earned his B.A. degree from Cameron College in Lawton, Oklahoma. Richard was married to Carole Breckenridge-Raridon in 1954 and they were blessed with three children, Denise, Terri and Rick. Richard served his country in the military for 22 years, spending 12 years in the United States Air Force and 10 years in the United States Army, retiring in the mid 1970s. For 20 years Richard was a Junior ROTC instructor for Steinmetz College Prep. In December of 1981, Richard was married to Mary Dilley Morgan. He was a lifetime member of the VFW, Elks Lodge, Moose Lodge, American Legion and First Lutheran Church. Richard enjoyed being outside, animals, and fishing. He also like going to casinos, tinkering and going on car rides.

Those left to honor Richard’s memory include his children, Denise Peterson of Newton, Terri (Todd) Lust of Mitchellville, and Rick Durant (Jackie Carley) of Trenton, Missouri; his step-daughters, Heather (Jim) Storkan and Christie (Sam) Brancato, both of Illinois; his 12 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; his siblings, Marilyn Cox of Riverton, Wyoming, Sondra Ratliff of Raymore, Missouri, David (Judy) Hoyt of Newton, and Kathy (Keith) Sevenbergen of Newton; his special friend, Sandra Troen Hafkey of Land O’ Lakes, Wisconsin.

Richard was preceded in death by his parents, Ragan Durant and Dorothy Durant Hoyt; step-father, Clifton Hoyt; brothers, Ragan Durant Jr. and Ronald Durant; two wives, Carole Breckenridge-Raridon Durant and Mary C. Durant; and a grandson, Dylan Peterson.