Eleanor (Prochnow) Durkee |
| Posted 2015-05-24 by Sharla |
| The Verde Independent, Cottonwood, Arizona Thursday, May 21, 2015 Eleanor Prochnow Durkee, 94, passed away April 28, 2015 in Sun City, AZ. She was born October 11, 1920 in Flagstaff, AZ. She was the last living sibling and youngest of 12 children from the Prochnow family, pioneers of Flagstaff. Her husband, Frank D. Durkee Sr. preceded her in death & her son Patrick D Durkee. She is survived by David Durkee, (Susan) of Port Townsed, WA, & Mike Durkee (Denise) of Vail, CO. Services will be held late summer in Flagstaff, to be announced. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Flagstaff Family Food Center, PO Box P, Flagstaff, AZ 86002 Information provided bu survivors. ~~~~~~~~~~~ The Verde Independent, Cottonwood, Arizona Saturday, August 22, 2015 Eleanor Lucille Prochnow Durkee Flagstaff has lost a true Sweet Lady and Pioneer. Eleanor Lucille Prochnow Durkee, 94, passed away on April 28, 2015 in Sun City, AZ. Ellie was born in Flagstaff on October 11, 1920, to Charles J. Prochnow and Elise Burrus Prochnow, both immigrants to Flagstaff around 1897, from Germany and France respectively. Charles and Elise always had a full household, consisting of 6 boys and 6 girls. "Baby Ellie" was the youngest, last child to make an even dozen for the early Flagstaff homesteading family. She attended St. Anthony's School as a young girl, moving on to Flagstaff High School, where she literally walked 5 miles a day going to and from school. A lunch hour break saw her making the round trip home, rain, snow, or shine, for a hot cooked meal made by "Mama", or on occasion making a shorter trip for lunch to the Commercial Hotel, owned by "Papa". She had many life-long friendships develop during that time, and became famously known as "Ellie 38", her class year and the handle she signed every year in the Kinlani Yearbooks. Upon graduating from "Flag High" she obtained her pilot's license, and worked various jobs, as a candy striper, ticket and concessions attendant at the Liberty and Orpheum theaters, and office helper in the Registrar's Office of the then named Arizona State Teachers College. It was here at ASTC she was involved in the WWII V-12 Training Program, where a handsome young Navy man from Oklahoma named Frank D. Durkee wooed her into becoming his wife. With the love of her life she settled down to raise 3 boys, the "career" she held most precious and set above all else. In August of 1948 she took the post of Executive Secretary of the Flagstaff Selective Service Board at "the request of some of the board members", which included T.E. McCullough, Dr. Earl C. Slipher, C.T. Pulliam, and her brother Raymond Prochnow. She held that post with honor and integrity through the Korean and Vietnam Conflicts, retiring in 1973 after 25 years of service. She moved to Lake Montezuma in 1978, a place she always loved and had made many more close friends, also working for a time at the Village of Oak Creek Golf Course Pro Shop. 2005 held health challenges for her, so she decided to make life easier and move to Royal Oaks in Sun City, where once again her sweet, caring, loving manner garnered many close friendships. Ellie was one of the gentlest, giving, loving, kind-hearted persons you would ever have the pleasure of knowing, and those who got to know her called her a "Sweetheart". As she often stated, "I'm a lover, not a fighter" as she never liked to see anyone argue, always defaulting to a position of love, keeping the balance and being the peacemaker. She was generous to others, allowing time for one of her many "kids" or friends to sit at her table, eat some food, bend her ear or cry on her shoulder, helping them work through a tough time, or just share a laugh and enjoy their company. She was a devoted Catholic, loving wife and mother, loyal sister, respected aunt, great aunt, great great aunt, and her family was always her greatest source of pride and joy, being her true life-labor of love. Flagstaff was always her home, even after moving to the desert she missed it greatly, and she was fiercely proud of her Northern Arizona heritage, always making sure people understood where she was from. Eleanor was preceded in death by her husband, Frank D. Durkee Sr. (1975), her middle son Patrick D. Durkee (1970), and all 11 of her older siblings, she being the last of the original "Flagstaff Prochnows". She is survived by her sons David (Susan) Durkee of Port Townsend, WA; Mike (Denise) Durkee of Vail, CO; and many, many primary, grand and great grand nieces and nephews, and countless other "sons and daughters" and loving friends. She lived a long full life, is finally back Home, and will be greatly missed. A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00am on August 29th at the old Prochnow House, Linton Realty office, on 304 S. Elden St. on Butler Ave., Flagstaff, AZ. Interment to follow at Calvary Cemetery, Flagstaff. In lieu of flowers please make donations to the Flagstaff Family Food Center, PO Box P, Flagstaff, AZ 86002. Information provided by survivors. See Also: Find A Grave |
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