1926 produced a magnificent White Christmas in North Texas from the Panhandle through the DFW area. The blanket of snow was mostly around 12 inches in depth, adding to the holiday mood. In Vernon, west of Wichita Falls, Martha Ruth was born to Virgil and Thula Cole, named after her two grandmothers, Martha Eaves and Ruth Cole.
The Coles moved shortly thereafter to the next town to the East, Electra, where Martha grew up and graduated from Electra High School in 1944, as the Senior Class Beauty that year. She then attended North Texas State Teachers' College (now UNT) in Denton, majoring in Speech. She had a beautiful, angelic, clear soprano singing voice, and performed as soprano soloist in college and in many faith venues for the rest of her life, notably with various congregations of the Disciples of Christ and for local chapters of the Eastern Star.
In Denton, she met Ralph Durham from nearby Slidell, a returning combat pilot from the CBI, who was completing his bachelor's degree at Texas A&M. They were married in March 1948, and moved to Houston. The new Air Force wanted pilots who completed their degrees to return to active service, so in 1949, Ralph and Martha began an adventure for the next 20 years. First stop was Anchorage, AK for two years, followed by four in Pittsburgh, PA. She returned for another year to Denton, where she continued her studies while Ralph was on a "remote tour" in Greenland. They moved to Waco for a year, and then on to Abilene, TX for a full five years while Ralph flew B-47s. They then continued on to Salina, KS and finished the B-47 tours on the seacoast of NH, where they bought a house in nearby Hampton. Martha stayed in Hampton with their high school aged son when Ralph was reassigned to McGuire AFB, NJ, to fly C-130s, which were primarily shuttling back and forth to Vietnam. He had less than two years until retirement, and since he was constantly gone on Vietnam trips, a move to NJ would have been difficult.
In 1968, Martha reestablished roots in Texas when Ralph retired and they moved to Fort Worth. Eventually, they both became licensed real estate brokers, and for a few years operated The Durham Company, a residential real estate firm in the Wedgwood area. After closing the office, she continued as a Broker-Agent for the rest of her career. Martha was active in the Officers' Wives Club, chairing committees and holding club offices.
In Fort Worth, she was an officer in the History Club, the FW Women's Club, and the 42 Club. She served as President of the Fort Worth Republican Women's Club for a full term. She was a 6th generation Texan, descended from Abel Lewis Eaves, who operated the ferry across the Sabine River near Jasper during the time of the Texas revolution of independence from Mexico.
Martha was preceded in death by her parents, and in 2012 by her loving husband of 64 years, Lt Col Ralph Hayes Durham (USAF, Ret).
She is survived by her son, Lt Col Randy Durham (USAF, Ret) and his wife, Major Carol Durham (USAF NC, Ret.). Survivors also include grandsons, Christopher Durham of Fort Worth, Major Jonathan Durham (USAF, Ret.) and his wife, Anna of O'Fallon, IL; and granddaughter, Sara Wise and her husband, Joseph of Rockledge, FL. She is also survived by five great grandchildren: Christopher Jr and Catherine Durham of Conway, AR, and Maggie, Claire, and Ryan Durham of Frisco, TX.
Visitation, Funeral, Interment, and Reception will all be held at the first Baptist Church of Slidell, TX and the adjacent Slidell Cemetery on August 26, 2021.
Presiding Pastor will be Gerre Joiner of Decatur. Burial will be in the Durham family plot, next to Ralph.
Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m. in the church sanctuary followed by Funeral Services at 11:00 a.m and Graveside Prayers at 11:30 a.m. A reception will be held immediately following the services in the Fellowship Hall.
The Coles moved shortly thereafter to the next town to the East, Electra, where Martha grew up and graduated from Electra High School in 1944, as the Senior Class Beauty that year. She then attended North Texas State Teachers' College (now UNT) in Denton, majoring in Speech. She had a beautiful, angelic, clear soprano singing voice, and performed as soprano soloist in college and in many faith venues for the rest of her life, notably with various congregations of the Disciples of Christ and for local chapters of the Eastern Star.
In Denton, she met Ralph Durham from nearby Slidell, a returning combat pilot from the CBI, who was completing his bachelor's degree at Texas A&M. They were married in March 1948, and moved to Houston. The new Air Force wanted pilots who completed their degrees to return to active service, so in 1949, Ralph and Martha began an adventure for the next 20 years. First stop was Anchorage, AK for two years, followed by four in Pittsburgh, PA. She returned for another year to Denton, where she continued her studies while Ralph was on a "remote tour" in Greenland. They moved to Waco for a year, and then on to Abilene, TX for a full five years while Ralph flew B-47s. They then continued on to Salina, KS and finished the B-47 tours on the seacoast of NH, where they bought a house in nearby Hampton. Martha stayed in Hampton with their high school aged son when Ralph was reassigned to McGuire AFB, NJ, to fly C-130s, which were primarily shuttling back and forth to Vietnam. He had less than two years until retirement, and since he was constantly gone on Vietnam trips, a move to NJ would have been difficult.
In 1968, Martha reestablished roots in Texas when Ralph retired and they moved to Fort Worth. Eventually, they both became licensed real estate brokers, and for a few years operated The Durham Company, a residential real estate firm in the Wedgwood area. After closing the office, she continued as a Broker-Agent for the rest of her career. Martha was active in the Officers' Wives Club, chairing committees and holding club offices.
In Fort Worth, she was an officer in the History Club, the FW Women's Club, and the 42 Club. She served as President of the Fort Worth Republican Women's Club for a full term. She was a 6th generation Texan, descended from Abel Lewis Eaves, who operated the ferry across the Sabine River near Jasper during the time of the Texas revolution of independence from Mexico.
Martha was preceded in death by her parents, and in 2012 by her loving husband of 64 years, Lt Col Ralph Hayes Durham (USAF, Ret).
She is survived by her son, Lt Col Randy Durham (USAF, Ret) and his wife, Major Carol Durham (USAF NC, Ret.). Survivors also include grandsons, Christopher Durham of Fort Worth, Major Jonathan Durham (USAF, Ret.) and his wife, Anna of O'Fallon, IL; and granddaughter, Sara Wise and her husband, Joseph of Rockledge, FL. She is also survived by five great grandchildren: Christopher Jr and Catherine Durham of Conway, AR, and Maggie, Claire, and Ryan Durham of Frisco, TX.
Visitation, Funeral, Interment, and Reception will all be held at the first Baptist Church of Slidell, TX and the adjacent Slidell Cemetery on August 26, 2021.
Presiding Pastor will be Gerre Joiner of Decatur. Burial will be in the Durham family plot, next to Ralph.
Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m. in the church sanctuary followed by Funeral Services at 11:00 a.m and Graveside Prayers at 11:30 a.m. A reception will be held immediately following the services in the Fellowship Hall.
1926 produced a magnificent White Christmas in North Texas from the Panhandle through the DFW area. The blanket of snow was mostly around 12 inches in depth, adding to the holiday mood. In Vernon, west of Wichita Falls, Martha Ruth was born to Virgil and Thula Cole, named after her two grandmothers, Martha Eaves and Ruth Cole.
The Coles moved shortly thereafter to the next town to the East, Electra, where Martha grew up and graduated from Electra High School in 1944, as the Senior Class Beauty that year. She then attended North Texas State Teachers' College (now UNT) in Denton, majoring in Speech. She had a beautiful, angelic, clear soprano singing voice, and performed as soprano soloist in college and in many faith venues for the rest of her life, notably with various congregations of the Disciples of Christ and for local chapters of the Eastern Star.
In Denton, she met Ralph Durham from nearby Slidell, a returning combat pilot from the CBI, who was completing his bachelor's degree at Texas A&M. They were married in March 1948, and moved to Houston. The new Air Force wanted pilots who completed their degrees to return to active service, so in 1949, Ralph and Martha began an adventure for the next 20 years. First stop was Anchorage, AK for two years, followed by four in Pittsburgh, PA. She returned for another year to Denton, where she continued her studies while Ralph was on a "remote tour" in Greenland. They moved to Waco for a year, and then on to Abilene, TX for a full five years while Ralph flew B-47s. They then continued on to Salina, KS and finished the B-47 tours on the seacoast of NH, where they bought a house in nearby Hampton. Martha stayed in Hampton with their high school aged son when Ralph was reassigned to McGuire AFB, NJ, to fly C-130s, which were primarily shuttling back and forth to Vietnam. He had less than two years until retirement, and since he was constantly gone on Vietnam trips, a move to NJ would have been difficult.
In 1968, Martha reestablished roots in Texas when Ralph retired and they moved to Fort Worth. Eventually, they both became licensed real estate brokers, and for a few years operated The Durham Company, a residential real estate firm in the Wedgwood area. After closing the office, she continued as a Broker-Agent for the rest of her career. Martha was active in the Officers' Wives Club, chairing committees and holding club offices.
In Fort Worth, she was an officer in the History Club, the FW Women's Club, and the 42 Club. She served as President of the Fort Worth Republican Women's Club for a full term. She was a 6th generation Texan, descended from Abel Lewis Eaves, who operated the ferry across the Sabine River near Jasper during the time of the Texas revolution of independence from Mexico.
Martha was preceded in death by her parents, and in 2012 by her loving husband of 64 years, Lt Col Ralph Hayes Durham (USAF, Ret).
She is survived by her son, Lt Col Randy Durham (USAF, Ret) and his wife, Major Carol Durham (USAF NC, Ret.). Survivors also include grandsons, Christopher Durham of Fort Worth, Major Jonathan Durham (USAF, Ret.) and his wife, Anna of O'Fallon, IL; and granddaughter, Sara Wise and her husband, Joseph of Rockledge, FL. She is also survived by five great grandchildren: Christopher Jr and Catherine Durham of Conway, AR, and Maggie, Claire, and Ryan Durham of Frisco, TX.
Visitation, Funeral, Interment, and Reception will all be held at the first Baptist Church of Slidell, TX and the adjacent Slidell Cemetery on August 26, 2021.
Presiding Pastor will be Gerre Joiner of Decatur. Burial will be in the Durham family plot, next to Ralph.
Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m. in the church sanctuary followed by Funeral Services at 11:00 a.m and Graveside Prayers at 11:30 a.m. A reception will be held immediately following the services in the Fellowship Hall.
The Coles moved shortly thereafter to the next town to the East, Electra, where Martha grew up and graduated from Electra High School in 1944, as the Senior Class Beauty that year. She then attended North Texas State Teachers' College (now UNT) in Denton, majoring in Speech. She had a beautiful, angelic, clear soprano singing voice, and performed as soprano soloist in college and in many faith venues for the rest of her life, notably with various congregations of the Disciples of Christ and for local chapters of the Eastern Star.
In Denton, she met Ralph Durham from nearby Slidell, a returning combat pilot from the CBI, who was completing his bachelor's degree at Texas A&M. They were married in March 1948, and moved to Houston. The new Air Force wanted pilots who completed their degrees to return to active service, so in 1949, Ralph and Martha began an adventure for the next 20 years. First stop was Anchorage, AK for two years, followed by four in Pittsburgh, PA. She returned for another year to Denton, where she continued her studies while Ralph was on a "remote tour" in Greenland. They moved to Waco for a year, and then on to Abilene, TX for a full five years while Ralph flew B-47s. They then continued on to Salina, KS and finished the B-47 tours on the seacoast of NH, where they bought a house in nearby Hampton. Martha stayed in Hampton with their high school aged son when Ralph was reassigned to McGuire AFB, NJ, to fly C-130s, which were primarily shuttling back and forth to Vietnam. He had less than two years until retirement, and since he was constantly gone on Vietnam trips, a move to NJ would have been difficult.
In 1968, Martha reestablished roots in Texas when Ralph retired and they moved to Fort Worth. Eventually, they both became licensed real estate brokers, and for a few years operated The Durham Company, a residential real estate firm in the Wedgwood area. After closing the office, she continued as a Broker-Agent for the rest of her career. Martha was active in the Officers' Wives Club, chairing committees and holding club offices.
In Fort Worth, she was an officer in the History Club, the FW Women's Club, and the 42 Club. She served as President of the Fort Worth Republican Women's Club for a full term. She was a 6th generation Texan, descended from Abel Lewis Eaves, who operated the ferry across the Sabine River near Jasper during the time of the Texas revolution of independence from Mexico.
Martha was preceded in death by her parents, and in 2012 by her loving husband of 64 years, Lt Col Ralph Hayes Durham (USAF, Ret).
She is survived by her son, Lt Col Randy Durham (USAF, Ret) and his wife, Major Carol Durham (USAF NC, Ret.). Survivors also include grandsons, Christopher Durham of Fort Worth, Major Jonathan Durham (USAF, Ret.) and his wife, Anna of O'Fallon, IL; and granddaughter, Sara Wise and her husband, Joseph of Rockledge, FL. She is also survived by five great grandchildren: Christopher Jr and Catherine Durham of Conway, AR, and Maggie, Claire, and Ryan Durham of Frisco, TX.
Visitation, Funeral, Interment, and Reception will all be held at the first Baptist Church of Slidell, TX and the adjacent Slidell Cemetery on August 26, 2021.
Presiding Pastor will be Gerre Joiner of Decatur. Burial will be in the Durham family plot, next to Ralph.
Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m. in the church sanctuary followed by Funeral Services at 11:00 a.m and Graveside Prayers at 11:30 a.m. A reception will be held immediately following the services in the Fellowship Hall.
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