William (Bill) Raymond Durrant

Funeral services with military honors for William R. (Bill) Durrant, 87, Lawrence, will be at 10 am Monday, June 23, 2014, at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery.  Mr. Durrant died Tuesday, June 17, 2014, at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

He was born July 6, 1926, in Chicago, IL, the son of William Charles and Irene Florence Atwood Durrant.  He graduated from Calumet High School in Chicago, in 1944.  He later attended the University of Kansas for some business classes.

Mr. Durrant served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and worked for the University of Kansas in their Police and Parking Department for 23 years and retired in Nov. 1988.  After retirement he worked at Dillon’s on Mass.  He was a member of the Alford-Clarke VFW Post #852, and was a lifetime member of the Fraternal Order of Police Lawrence Lodge # 2.

Bill married Marjorie Thompson in 1953. They later divorced.  He married Donna Cook Channel Durrant in 1978. She survives of the home.

Other survivors include two daughters, Denise Gilges, Baldwin City, KS, Christa and husband Thomas Schram, Bonner Springs, KS; two step daughters, Yvonne and husband Dominic Palermo, Lawrence, KS, and Charmaine and husband Raymond Messick, Garnett, KS; twelve grandchildren, Jason Gilges (Heather), Wellsville, KS, Amanda Gilges, Kansas City, MO, Dustin Gilges (Jessica), Bradford, IL, Lauren Brazzle (Luke), Wamego, KS, Troy Gilges, Columbus, IN, Jacqueline Thyer (Mike), Arcadia, KS, Justin Messick, Garnett, KS, Brian Johnson, NC, Mark Johnson, Alexandria, VA, Michael Schram, Baldwin City, Jason (Kathleen) Schram, Bonner Springs, Blake Schram, Lenexa; one sister Alberta and the late Dr. Tom Parry, Washington, KS;

Friends may call from noon to 8 pm Saturday at the funeral home. A visitation will be from 1-2 pm Sunday.

The family suggests memorials made to Fraternal Order of Police, sent in care of Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, 601 Indiana St., Lawrence, KS 66044.