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Durbin, Melva L.
Melva L. Durbin, 99, of Cedar Rapids, passed away Saturday, March 9, 2013, at Northbrook Manor Care Center, Cedar Rapids. Services in celebration of her long life will be held at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, March 14, at Weerts Funeral Home, Kimberly at Jersey Ridge Road, Davenport, with the Rev. Ron Huber officiating. Her family will greet friends from noon until time of service at the funeral home. Burial will be in Davenport Memorial Park
Memorials may be made to St. Paul Lutheran Church, of which she was a member, or to the charity of your choice.
Melva Lorene was born in Long Grove, Iowa, in 1913, to Elmer and Alma Moore. She grew up a tomboy in Long Grove, climbing trees and fishing and will always be remembered for her warm cheerful personality, quick laugh and indomitable spirit. Melva went though the ninth grade in Long Grove when she left to work and help her father raise her brothers after her mother got sick and died in 1936.
She married Roy Durbin on Aug. 18, 1940 and they moved to California for work during World War II. They came back in 1949 and raised their family in Davenport. She enjoyed time spent on the Waspi river in summer at the family cabin.
About 1956, she started working for the Scott County Library. She did many jobs there and became the director of the library before retiring in 1979. In 2001, she came to Cedar Rapids and lived in Higley Mansion Care Center until 2011 when a broken leg required her to reside at Northbrook Manor Care Center.
Survivors include her brother, Harlan Moore of Costa Mesa, Calif.; two sons, Ken Durbin of Portland, Ore. and Dennis (Virginia) Durbin of Cedar Rapids; six grandchildren, Lisa (Randy) Gardner of Toddville, Mike Howe of Marion, Chris (Kristen) Durbin of Aloha, Ore., Kim Breslow of Ypsilanti, Mich., Jeff Durbin of Tucson, Ariz. and JJ (Matt) Turner of Portland, Ore.; and six great-grandchildren, Allie and Matt Gardner, Cameron and Colin Breslow and Violet and James Turner.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Roy N. Durbin; her brothers, Alan, Kenneth and infant Robert; and her parents.
Online condolences may be expressed to Melva's family by visiting her obituary at www.WeertsFH.com.
Published in The Gazette March 12, 2013.
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