Richard "Dick" Francis Durham
Richard "Dick" Francis Durham, 93, passed away September 12, 2023.
He was born January 29, 1930, in Chester, Pa., to the late Charles and Ailene Durham. Dick graduated from St James High School in Chester where he was a stand-out athlete in football and baseball. He went on to play semi-pro football for a few years after high school where he and two other friends were recruited to play football for University of Alabama. Their time there was brief (Tuscaloosa and Yankees didn’t mesh well back then) and they soon transferred to University of Chattanooga to play for the legendary Scrappy Moore. While at UC, Dick was the quarterback and kicker. He also made his pocket money by singing with local bands. After graduating in 1955, he was drafted into the Army where he mostly played football and baseball for the Western Area Command in post-war Germany. He started his sales career in the carpet industry. Dick met Dolores Hayes in 1961 and they were married later that year. In 1980 he purchased Marsh Ceramics, an industrial welding ceramics manufacturer, that he owned and operated until his retirement in 2008.
Dick and Dolores have been parishioners of St Jude Church since 1963 where they were very active in the church and school during their younger years.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his four siblings. He is survived by his wife Dolores; his three children, Dirk (Tracie) Durham, Mike Durham and Kathy (Andy) Sawyer; three grandchildren, Rachel (Danny) Finch, Ellen (Alex) Kirschling, and Colin Sawyer; and great-grandchild Peyton Finch.
After Dick’s love of family, he enjoyed playing golf (preferably with a little money on the line), attending as many of his grandkids’ activities as possible, watching football, going to the YMCA, a nice bottle of wine and socializing with friends, family and strangers. He loved traveling and his work sent him to both Europe and Asia several times as well as all over the United States. He loved living in the south although he missed the hoagies from his childhood in Pennsylvania. We will forever miss his kindness, infectious smile and how his eyes would light up when he saw us.
Services for Dick Durham will be on Monday, Oct. 9, at St. Jude Church. Visitation will begin at 11 a.m., followed by mass at noon. He will be buried at the Chattanooga National Cemetery in a private ceremony.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the St. Jude School Annual Fund, 930 Ashland Terrace, Chattanooga, Tn. 37415.
Arrangements are by Hamilton Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 4506 Hixson Pike, Hixson, TN 37343.