Mary Elizabeth Easley Durham passed away peacefully at 6:45 am on the eighth day of December 2020, at her home where she had lived since 1963.
Mary was born in Fairfax, Missouri on the first day of November 1925 to John Authur Easley and Mary Lucinda Fite Easley.
In 1932, she moved to Big Springs, Missouri, near Caulfield, Missouri. There, she attended school in a one-room schoolhouse, then finished her high school education at Bakersfield, Missouri. She also attended business college.
On December 18, 1948, she married Lester Johnny Durham.
Mary was an extraordinarily talented lady. She wrote poetry, music, song lyrics, and her voice was better than Patsy Cline’s! She was a hardworking farmer’s wife who enjoyed going for walks, baking, and spending time with her family.
In March of 1970, she began working at the Bakersfield Post Office and later became the Postmaster. She retired from the Post office in 1990. She made a wonderful impression on everyone she met. She was kind, helpful, and an upstanding member of the community. She was a timeless beauty on the outside as well as the inside. She was a great example of what a mother, grandmother, aunt, sister, and friend should be and has left a legacy of love behind her. Mary was a faithful member of the Church of Christ and attended the Church of Christ in Bakersfield, Missouri.
Mary is survived by two children, Darrell Durham, and Carol Bales, both of Bakersfield; nine grandchildren, Janean Ritter, Jody Bond, Stacy Duke, Tracy Collins, Dalton Durham, Kelly Marsh, Dustin Durham, Ceirra Turner, and Mikayla Durham; 31 great-grandchildren, and 10 great-great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Lester Durham, one son-in-law, Butch Bales, and one great-great grandchild, Addi.
Graveside services will be held Thursday, December 10, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. at Bakersfield Cemetery, with Brother Wayne Stewart officiating, under the direction of Carter Funeral Home, Inc., West Plains.
Visitation will be Wednesday, December 9, 2020 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Carter Funeral Home Chapel, West Plains.
