Mr. Brendan T. Durkin Sr.

January 21, 1926 - July 24, 2015

Brendan T. Durkin Loving husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather LOWELL—Brendan T. Durkin age 89, of Lowell, passed away on Friday morning, July 24, 2015 surrounded by his family. He was the beloved husband of Claire (Neylon) Durkin. Along with his wife, he is survived by his children: Brendan Jr. (Mike) and Mary Ann Durkin, Kathy and Tim Woods, JoAnn and Rick Spencer, Danny and Stephanie Durkin, Dottie Durkin, and Kevin and Pam Durkin. He was also the father of Patty Durkin who passed away on April 1, 2011. Brendan will be sadly missed by his fifteen grandchildren with whom he shared a special love and relationship and who called him Grampy: Mickey (Christine), Joe (Meghan), Brian (Julie) Durkin; Erin (Woods) and Jim Quealy, Timmy (Stacey), Patrick (Kristin) Woods, Lauren and Alyson Spencer, Steve, Matt and Jenna Durkin, Lily Durkin, and Zach, Olivia and Athena Durkin. Despite the age difference, Brendan, Grampy-the–Great, also had a special relationship and was dearly loved by his great grandchildren Kyle, Sydney and Leah Durkin, Brendan, Caoilinn and Chelsey Quealy, Cameron, Benjamin and Drew Durkin, Tyler and Jack Durkin and Cole Woods. Brendan was the youngest of nine children born to the late James and the late Margaret (Daly) Durkin. He shared a special relationship with his sister Dot and his brothers Edward, Gerald (Phyllis), John (Mary), Harold (Frances), James (Frances), Walter (Roseanne), and Paul (Connie). From their close bond, friendship, lifelong willingness to support each other and pledge always be there for each other in time of need, the often quoted phrase, “Dial D for Durkin” was coined. Brendan extended his willingness to help family and friends alike. Following graduation from Sacred Heart School and Keith Academy, Class of 1944, Brendan was inducted into the United States Army. On January 1, 1945, he was onboard the Queen Mary as it sailed from New York Harbor in route to Europe and World War II. Upon his arrival in Europe, Brendan would become the fourth Durkin brother to serve on active duty in the United States Army, joining his brothers Paul, Jim and John. Brendan was assigned to the Third Army, under the command of General George Patton. As a rifleman assigned to the Sixth Armored Infantry Division, he participated in the Battle of the Bulge, fought in the Ardennes Forest region where the American forces sustained the highest losses in WWII. In January of 1945 he was wounded receiving the Purple Heart. He returned to duty to be wounded again in March and received the Purple Heart with an Oak Leaf Cluster. Despite the fact that he returned a decorated veteran of World War II, Brendan remained humble and unassuming, rarely speaking of his military experiences. Brendan was honorably discharged from the Army as a Staff Sergeant in 1946 and returned home. Typical of many members of the Greatest Generation, he married his high school sweetheart, Claire Neylon and they started their life together. Brendan took a job at Sullivan Bros., Printers where he worked until his retirement at age 80. Together, Brendan and Claire raised their seven children in the Sacred Heart Parish where he remained active in the Holy Name and St. Vincent DePaul Society throughout his life. A devout Catholic, Brendan was a hard working man whose life centered on his family. He was a man of honor, courage and conviction who was fiercely loyal to his friends and proud of his Irish heritage. He served his wife, family, Church, country and community in an exemplary manner. He was a tremendous role model for his family to emulate. Brendan is survived by his sisters-in- law Kay McCabe, Mary Neylon and Phyllis Durkin. He is also survived by over sixty nieces and nephews that all held special places in his heart, the Durkins, the McCabes, the Phelps, the Neylons and the Gormans. He was predeceased by his brothers, his sister, and his sisters-in-law Mary, Frances, Frannie, Roseanne and Connie Durkin, as well as his in-laws Mary and John Gorman, Alice and Ed Phelps, Tom Neylon, and Patrick McCabe. He was also predeceased by his dear friends Buster and Sissy Meehan. The family respectfully requests that in lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimer’s Foundation in recognition of our father’s effort to support our mother who has battled the ravaging effects of Alzheimer’s for the past ten years. FUNERAL NOTICE DURKIN—In Lowell, July 24, 2015, Brendan T. Durkin, Sr., 89, loving husband of Claire V. (Neylon) Durkin. Family and friends may call at the FAY McCABE FUNERAL HOME, 105 MOORE STREET, LOWELL on TUESDAY from 3 until 8 PM. Mr. Durkin’s FUNERAL MASS will be celebrated on WEDNESDAY MORNING, JULY 29, 2015 at 10 AM at ST. MARGARET’S CHURCH, 374 Stevens St. Lowell. Burial will follow in the family lot in St. Patrick’s Cemetery. As an expression of sympathy, in lieu of flowers, donations in Brendan’s memory may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, Massachusetts Chapter, 480 Pleasant St. Watertown, MA 02472. ARRANGEMENTS BY THE FAY McCABE FUNERAL DIRECTORS, 978-459-9222. www.faymccabe.com