August 31, 1948 — March 13, 2017
Walter Thomas Porter Durrant (Tom), age 68, passed away Monday, March 13, 2017. He was born Aug. 31, 1948, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Thomas Porter Durrant and Marilyn Jane Minor Durrant.
Tom married his high school sweetheart, Wendy Lynne Burrows, Sept. 16, 1967, in the St. George Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
He moved to St. George with his family in 1955. Previous to that time, Tom lived in the copper mining town of Bingham, Utah. He was the second of four children: Grace, Tom, Myron and Debbie.
Tom’s parents owned Dixie Photo Shop on Tabernacle Street in St. George. He grew up working and helping his dad at the photo shop. He attended West Elementary, Dixie High School and Dixie College.
Tom earned his livelihood as a businessman, entrepreneur and realtor. Short Stop Markets, Timesavers Video, Desert Ice, Robin Hood’s Storehouse, Mountain View Water, U.S. Snow and Certified Marketing are some of his ventures. He enjoyed working hard.
His family was his greatest joy, and he loved when they could all gather and be together.
He enjoyed fishing, visiting Pig Creek at Oak Grove, gardening and photography, and he loved the artwork of his grandchildren. He seemed to prefer work to leisure. He had a strong testimony of his Savior, Jesus Christ. He was a man who stood up for – and looked out for – those in need. He was a forgiver and a true friend.
He is survived by his wife, Wendy, of St. George, and their five children: Thomas (Tiffany) Durrant, of St. George, Robyn (Nathan) Fawson, of Iola, Kansas, Ryan (Adrianne) Durrant, of Highland, Utah, Cindy (Charles) Pulver, of St. George and Michael Durrant, of St. George; 19 grandchildren: Tawni (Jeffrey), Tavish (Bianca), Alexa (Tanner), Talon, Isaiah, Savannah, Brookelynn, Elijah, Trey, Bridger, Charles, Brynn, Keira, Madisen, Sawyer, Mosiah, Mya, Brya and Everly; great-grandson Cyrus Wesley; his two sisters: Grace Mann, of St. George, and Debra (Lynn) Judd, of St. George; brother Myron (Lori) Durrant, of St. George; and many beloved nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents.
Funeral services
- Funeral services will be Monday, March 20, at 11 a.m. at the St. George East Stake Center, 449 S. 300 West, St. George, Utah (across from the Temple).
- Visitation will be held Sunday, March 19, from 4-6 p.m. at Spilsbury Mortuary, 110 S. Bluff St., St. George, Utah, and on Monday, prior to services, from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the Stake Center.
- Interment will take place in the St. George City Cemetery.
The family wishes to acknowledge and thank those that provided special care: his wonderful doctors and nurses, DRMC, Dixie Dialysis, Applegate Hospice and Bella Terra St. George, for their kind and attentive care.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Spilsbury Mortuary, 435-673-2454. Friends and family are invited to sign the Tom Durrant guestbook at www.spilsburymortuary.com.
My mom went to school with Myron, Tom’s younger brother. Tonight she remarked how handsome Tom was and the whole family for that matter. I went to high school with Tom’s daughter Robyn and her husband Nate. I work with Michael the youngest son and I am always impressed at how intelligent he is as a mechanical engineer or anything he focuses on for that matter. My mom (Betty Knell Ford) said that it seemed to her that Tom took everyone’s picture that lived in St. George for years and years at the schools and other functions. Although I do not know Tom personally I know his family and of the great legacy that he leaves behind.