Donald Paul Durand, age 89, of Ames, died April 28, 2019 at Northridge Village in Ames, Iowa.
Donald was born in Bronx, New York, October 18, 1929, the son of Paul J. and Lucille E. (Murphy) Durand. He grew up on his parent's vegetable farm in Millville, NJ. After graduation from Cape May Courthouse High School, Donald attended Guilford College in Greensboro, NC, where he received a BS in Biology. His subsequent graduate education was at Kansas State University where he earned an MS, 1957, and PhD 1960. in Microbiology. He then began his long career as an educator and researcher at the University of Missouri Medical School in Columbia, MO. In 1968 he joined the Microbiology Department at Iowa State University as Associate Professor, retiring as Emeritus Professor of Plant Pathology and Microbiology in 1991. He often said "I never went to work, meaning he enjoyed his teaching and research, and took pride in the success of his students.
Donald served in the US Army during the Korean War, serving in training new troops. He married Catherine Sayre in 1956 with whom he had four children: Paul, Steven, Diane and Deborah. They were divorced in 1976. He married Patricia Trimbell in 1989, enjoying nearly 30 years together. Nine of those early years were spent living and sailing the ocean on a catamaran, producing many cherished memories. They then went to Chico, CA, where they lived for seven years, returning to Ames in 2007.
Donald is survived by his wife, Patricia Trimbell; two sons, Steven (Maureen) and, Paul (Gretchen) and a daughter Deborah Durand (Kent Savely); and five grandsons, Timothy and Christopher; Roman; and Mitchell and Jacob.
He was preceded in death by his beloved daughter, Diane and his first wife, Catherine.
A celebration of Donald's life is being planned for Saturday, May 18, 2019, at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Ames where he was a long time Member and Friend.
Online condolences may be directed to www.grandonfuneralandcremationcare.com