Eleanor Durkee

Eleanor Marie Durkee, 86, of Breckenridge , MN died December 28, 2008 at St. Francis Healthcare Campus in Breckenridge.

Her funeral will be held on Wednesday, December 31, 2008 at 1:00 PM at St. John’s Catholic Church in Wyndmere , ND . There will be visitation one hour prior to the funeral service at the church. Fr. Len Loegering will be officiating.

There will be a prayer service on Tuesday, December 30, at 7:00 PM at St. John’s Catholic Church, Wyndmere. Interment will be at St. John’s Catholic Cemetery , Wyndmere , ND .

Eleanor is survived by: Her five children: Marvin (Pat) Durkee, Wrenshall, MN, Peggy Durkee, Wahpeton, ND, Janet (Charles) Irwin, McGregor, MN, Sharon (Tom) Merrill, Stockbridge, GA, Patricia (Mike) Knudson, Milltown, WI; Her 2 sisters: Isabelle Howe, Laguna Woods, CA, and Mary Ann Blazek, West Fargo, ND; Her brother: Melvin (Beatrice) Foertsch, Wyndmere, ND; 13 Grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by: Her parents: John and Clara Foertsch; Her husbands: Eugene Snyder and Fred Durkee; Her sister: Hildegard; Three brothers: Joe, Raymond and Louie.



Eleanor was born on a farm southeast of Wyndmere , ND on September 2, 1922 to John and Clara (Pausch) Foertsch. She attended rural school.

She was married to Eugene Snyder in February, 1946, and they made their home in Kansas . He passed away in August, 1953.



In April, 1958, she married Lester “Fred” Durkee. They made their home in Forest Lake , MN , where she helped raise Fred’s daughters, Peggy and Janet. In 1972, Fred and Eleanor moved to California , where Fred passed away in May, 1976. While in California , Eleanor worked as a dietary supervisor at Community Convalescent Center . She moved back to Wyndmere in May of 1981 where she resided until November of 1991, when she moved to Mora, MN, where she lived with her granddaughter, Tracy (Durkee) Kohlgraf and her husband, Kent.

In December, 2005, she moved to Breckenridge , MN with Tracy and her family. She moved into St. Francis Nursing Home in January, 2007 following a small stroke, and has lived there since.

Arrangements are being handled by Joseph Vertin & Sons Funeral Home of Breckenridge, Minnesota .