FARMINGTON – J. Calvin Durrell, 90, of Temple, died early Friday morning, Jan. 20, 2006 at Orchard Park Living and Rehabilitation Center, where he had resided for the past five months.

He was born May 25, 1915, in Farmington, the firstborn of Loren O. and Ida (Dejay) Durrell. He graduated in 1934 from Farmington High School and on July 4, 1940, married Maxine H. Wirta in Farmington. His beloved wife predeceased him on Nov. 27, 2003.

Mr. Durrell was a veteran, having served in the National Guard and in the U.S. Air Force from 1940-1945. He was a self-employed lumberman and retired in 1980 from G.H. Bass Shoe Co.

For many years, he served the town of Temple as fire chief. He was an outdoorsman who, in his younger years, enjoyed fishing and hunting. He later enjoyed gardening, doing yard work and found that cutting his own firewood on his property was more of a hobby as opposed to a chore. He also liked to work intricately with his hands and became an adept woodworker, carving homemade violins, birdhouses, covered wagons and figurines. He also enjoyed recaning chairs. He was a self-taught cook and enjoyed inviting neighbors in for supper. His specialties were stews and apple pie.

Survivors include his daughter, Karen Gagne and her husband, Ronald of Auburn; two brothers, Herbert “Pete” Durrell of Edgewood Manor Living and Rehabilitation Center, Farmington and Loren “Snooky” Durrell of Farmington; three grandchildren, Kevin Gagne and his wife, Tracy and their daughters, Alyssa, Ann and Emma MacKenna; Karla Diffin and her husband, Roger and Sean Gagne.

In addition to his wife, he was predeceased by siblings, Bernice Hall, Lillian Hutchins, Carl Durrell and Wilfred “Willy” Durrell.

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