Ronald Alonzo Durham II
Ronald Alonzo Durham II, was born on January 9, 1985, at Eisenhower Army Medical Center at Fort Gordon, Ga., to Ronald Alonzo and Joyce Marie Durham. Ronald, who was lovingly called “Ronnie” at an early age, fell in love with Jesus and served in the church.
His grandmother, Mother Maybelle Harris-McDowell was very instrumental in instilling her love of God and the church in Ronnie. As she played the piano, he would sing in church and at home. One of their favorite songs to sing was “Through it all. I have learned to trust in Jesus. I've learned to trust in God.” Ronnie trained to be an usher as he was taught that whatever his hands found to do, do it as unto the Lord. He also sang in the Sunshine Band.
Ronnie was a very old soul from his youth and throughout his adult life. As a child, he had “Great Faith”, even into his adulthood. Ronnie continued in his faith in God and because of his faith in God, people would stop by the house and ask him to pray for them at times. When he would be outside playing, people in the neighborhood who affectionately called him “Preacher” would stop and ask him to pray for them.
Ronnie's favorite scripture was Mark 11:23-24, “For verily I say unto you, that Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea, and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he has said should come to pass, he shall have whatsoever he said. Therefore, I say unto you, what things soever you desire, When you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them.”
Ronnie was a very inquisitive child. He asked questions from sun up to sundown. He asked questions about God, questions about life, questions about things he saw and anything he experienced. People used to ask his mother, “Why does he ask so many questions?” Then they would say, “why don't you stop him from asking so many questions? In his mom’s own voice, she would say, “Baby, ask whatever you want to know, whenever you want to know.” Many years later, his mom would realize he needed all those answers to help others with all their questions.
Ronald graduated with honors from Brainerd High School. During high school, he was a great leader and very active in the ROTC program. When he was a junior in high school, he went through basic training and AIT at Fort Benning, GA, where he trained as an Automated Logistics Specialist. After Ronald's High School graduation, he attended Alabama A&M University and continued in the ROTC program. He was later honorably discharged. Ronald was employed at McKee Foods for many years before joining Gestamp and being promoted to 3rd Shift Materials Supervisor last year.
Ronald was preceded in death by his grandmothers, Mother Maybelle Harris-McDowell and Mother Marylou Brown; grandfather, Elder Henderson McDowell.
Ronald was a great father and will be sorely missed by his two sons, Omari Tashawn Middleton and Jakhi Alonzo Durham. Ronald also leaves to cherish his memory, his mother, Joyce Marie Durham of Chattanooga; father, Ronald Alonzo Durham of Jacksonville, FL; stepfather, Robert Ellison, Jr. of Chattanooga; sisters, Joycelyn Durham and Precious Ellison; brothers, Albert Durham, Robert Ellison, and Harrison Ellison, all of Chattanooga, and Ron Durham of Jacksonville, Fl. He also leaves his aunts, Tawana Smith of Oak Park, Mi., Cynthia Brown of Virginia, Nadine Holmes of Columbus, Oh., Brenda Reid of San Francisco, Ca.; uncles, Walter (Phyllis) Anderson of Martinez, Ga., Michael (Melinda) Reid, Timothy (Sharon) Reid of Jacksonville, Fl.; great aunt, Beatrice Bridges of Columbus. OH; great uncle, Emmanuel Harris of Miami, Fl.; his nieces, D'Asia, Me'Shiah, Bella, Madison, and Aaliya; nephews, Kyran, Jr, Kingston, Keyshawn, AJ, Kaelon, Riley, Kofi, Yashawn, and TJ, a host of cousins, other relatives and friends.
Public viewing will be held from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 6, at Greater Community Church of God in Christ, 1817 E 3rd Street, followed by 12 p.m. funeral service.
Interment will be in Beautiful Greenwood Cemetery.
The service will livestream from the Church’s Facebook page and YouTube Channel Greater Community Church of Chattanooga COGIC.
Arrangements are by John P. Franklin Funeral Home, 1101 Dodds Ave., 423 622-9995.