Esther C. Durfey

Bicknell/Notom, Utah - An example of living life with hope and optimism; our mother, grandmother and friend, Esther Coombs Durfey, died July 8, 2007 at Notom, Utah at the age of 96 years and 361 days. She was born on July 12, 1910 in Colonia Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico. Then the family moved to Canada, and finally came back to the United States. She was the oldest of four children born to Leslie McLean and Sarah Ellis Day Coombs. She was reared in Fairview, Utah. On May 27, 1937, she married Joseph Golden Durfey in Fariview, Utah. Their marriage was solemnized in the Manti LDS Temple, May 11, 1938. They are the parents of three children. They lived both in Bicknell and on their ranch in Notom, Utah. Esther was a graduate of Snow College and Brigham Young University. She was a teacher at Wayne High School in Bicknell, for 33 years. There she taught Home Economics, English, History, Physical Education and also worked as School Librarian and FHA Advisor. She always had a special love for and the ability to work well with young people. She was an active member of the LDS Church. Her church callings included serving on the Relief Society Stake Board, YWMIA Stake Board, JR. Sunday School Coordinator and Adult Sunday School Teacher. She also worked on the Spanish extraction program in the Wayne Stake for many years. Esther had a great love of learning. She loved to read, take college classes and help in the local schools. She spent many years compiling and writing personal, family and local histories. Crocheting was one of her favorite hobbies and she enjoyed making beautiful afghans for all of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her ability to make the best of any situation and enduring well to the end is her most important legacy. She is survived by her children: McLean and Judy Durfey; Keith and Kay Durfey; Roma and Chad Roderick, all of Notom; 12 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband, Golden Durfey; two sisters: Gladys Coombs and Dora Jacobs; a brother, Leslie Coombs and 1 granddaughter, Julie Anne Durfey. The family would like to extend a special thanks to Connie Durfey, Teri Leavitt and Carl Cox of Gunnison Hospice/Home Health for their exceptional care and help with mother in her last days. Funeral services will be Saturday, July 14, 2007 at 1:00 P.M. in the Thurber LDS Ward Chapel in Bicknell, where friends may come for viewing Saturday morning from 11:00 to 12:30 prior to the services. Burial will be in the Bicknell Cemetery under the care of the Springer Turner Funeral Home of Richfield, Salina and Gunnison, Utah.