Myrtle Durand

Myrtle (Purfeerst) Durand (Leo), formerly of Faribault, MN and now living in Apple Valley, passed away on Tuesday, October 6, 2009.    Myrtle was the daughter of Roy and Margaret (Carpentier) Purfeerst.  Born on Oct 15, 1920, she was born and raised up on the family farm in Richland Township (Rice County, MN).  She married Leo P. Durand on May 8, 1944 in a full military wedding at the Immaculate Conception church by Father Francis Fenelon.    After Leo received an honorable discharge in Sept. 1945 (after serving his country for five years in Alaska, France, and Germany) they bought their first home at 327 Willow St.  in Faribault. Three sons were born.  They lived there about seven years and then moved to Richfield for a short time. They then bought a small 5 acre hobby farm in a area known as Argonne Farms (plotted initially for WW I veterans) near Lakeville, MN where they raised the boys to adulthood.      Leo and Myrtle made many moves in their lifetime. But as Myrtle tells, the one to Lakeville was the best ever in 1953 and that is where their three boys grew up into adulthood.  Myrtle often tells how proud and thankful her and Leo were when these three young boys (ages 7, 5, and 3) survived the move from a new, modern, suburban home in Richfield to the Lakeville home (which didn't even have plumbing and water had to be hand pumped from the well and carried in) and yet they adjusted.     As time went on, Leo did remodel the house and we had all the "city conveniences". At Lakeville the boys learned a little of what farm life was all about- planting and harvesting crops, wood cutting, raising and caring for animals, etc.     Myrtle wanted the boys to know how grateful she and Leo were that they were always willing to work alongside of them whenever help was needed.     Leo and Myrtle moved back to Faribault in July 1979 because the sons were gone and there was too much works for the two of them living on their own. They continued to commute to the Twin Cities for their work for many years.    Myrtle was a devoted wife and homemaker. She worked all her married life as a waitress or in factories. In 1986 she retired from Lakeside Games in Minneapolis and then started, at age 66, her next career working at the Faribault Canning Company until age 74.   After her final retirement, furniture refinishing became almost a full time job for her and she helped Leo with the finishing and painting of his wood hobbies including lawn ornaments, and doll houses and barns for children.    She was preceded in death by her husband Leo on 12/17/2003, her parents, brother Ernest, sister Violet (Purfeerst) Zabel, and many in-laws. Survived by her three sons and three loving, caring daughters-in-law: Eugene and Kathleen (Macioch) Durand, Lake City, MN; Roger and Carol (Helstedt) Durand, Burnsville, MN; and Gary and Michele (Holt) Durand, Richfield, MN; eight grandchildren and eight great grandchildren; sisters Marie (Purfeerst) Sticha and Lorraine (Purfeerst) Reiter; brothers-in-law Richard Winterhalter and Marvin Reiter; sister-in-law Margaret (Thom) Durand; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.    Myrtle will join her loved ones on Sunday, October 11, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. at the Divine Mercy Catholic Church, 139 Mercy Drive, Faribault, MN.  Visitation one hour prior to services.  Interment will be held at the Maple Lawn Cemetery.     Directions to Divine Mercy Catholic Church: http://divinemercycatholics.org/Directions%20to%20new%20church.jpg In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials be directed to Fairview Hospice, 2450 26th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406.