Obituary of Norris Lew Durrell

Norris Lew Durrell, of Flintstone, Georgia formerly of Glen Burnie, Maryland passed away after a long battle with illness on Saturday, July 15, 2017. He was the son of Lew and Ruth Estella Palmer Durrell. Always confident of the love and saving grace of his Lord and Savior, he was at peace knowing he was going home. He was thinking of and loving his family until the end, when he went to be with His Lord. Norris was born on November 15, 1931 in Kansas City, Missouri and lived there until he joined the US Navy in 1951. While on active duty, he served with the Navy School of Music, Naval Station Washington DC, he was a member of the Sixth Fleet Navy Band, and Navy Band Great Lakes. He was stationed aboard the USS Columbus, the USS Newport News and the USS Salem. After his time at sea, he was stationed at the United States Naval Academy as a band member. Well known as an excellent trombone player, he played in the Naval Academy band for the rest of his military career. He marched and played at many Navy football games through the years, as well as marching in the Presidential Inaugural Parades of Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford and Carter. He also marched in President Kennedy’s Funeral. He was a man of deep faith, serving for years as a Deacon in Glen Burnie Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Glen Burnie, Maryland from 1986-1992. Upon moving to Flintstone, Georgia, he became an active member of St. Elmo Presbyterian Church. He was known and loving and generous. He will be fondly remembered and deeply missed by all that knew him. Norris was married to Bonnie Singleton Durrell in 1958. Married for 56 years, they made their home for many years in Glen Burnie, Maryland where they raised their three children. Always a very generous man, he welcomed his mother in law into their home to live with them until her death in 2004. They were always very active in their community, neighborhood and church. Norris was proceeded in death by his parents, a sister Betty Ruth Durrell Roberts, his mother in law Myrtle Singleton and his wife Bonita Maxine Singleton Durrell who passed in 2014. He is survived by a daughter Pamela Kay Durrell Whittaker and husband Jason of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, daughter Kimberly Joyce Durrell Redpath and husband Scot of Flintstone, Georgia and a son Kevin Lew Durrell and wife Stacey of Sanford, North Carolina. He is also survived by four grandchildren, Hannah Durrell, Ian Redpath, Bryan Redpath and Mackenzie Redpath, a brother Jerry Durrell of Kansas City, Missouri, brother in law Jim Weaver of Riverside California and several nieces and nephews. Please gather at Wann Funeral Home, Chattanooga at 1:30PM Thursday, July 20th to proceed to Chattanooga National Cemetery. A service will take place there with full military honors at 2:30PM. A memorial service and reception will be held at St. Elmo Presbyterian Church, 4400 St. Elmo Avenue, Chattanooga at 7 PM Thursday 20th. Rev. Cal Boroughs will be officiating. Arrangements are by Wann Funeral Home & Cremation Center at the foot of historic Lookout Mountain, St. Elmo. (423) 821-7551 Share your memories at www.wannfuneralhome.com.