Walter Durfey

(May 4, 1949 – January 9, 2017)

The family will receive visitors from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, January 11 at the Cowboy Church of Erath County, located at 4945 US-67. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, January 12, at the Cowboy Church of Erath County with Werth Mayes officiating. Burial will follow at Mount Zion Cemetery in Burnet County, TX.

ERATH COUNTY – Walt was born on May 4, 1949 in Wichita Falls, TX to Walter Dean and Bernice Alma Durfey. He graduated from Kermit High School in 1967 and served 4 years in the Navy. He married his wife of 48 years, Christine Wells Durfey, in May ’68. Walt graduated from Nashville Auto Diesel College in ’73 and was a very skilled diesel mechanic. Upon completion of New Tribes Mission missionary training (’86), Walt and Chris served as missionaries in Bolivia for 17 years. In the years of 2006 -2008 Walt had a mobile mechanic business in Erath County. From 2008 to 2014 Walt and Chris served again as missionaries at NTM Aviation in McNeal, AZ. On January 1, 2015, Walt retired from New Tribes Mission.

Preceding him in death are his parents Walter Dean and Bernice Durfey and his granddaughter Elykate Hope Durfey.

Walter will be greatly missed by friends and his family especially his wife, Christine (Chris) Durfey and his three sons and their families- Walt Durfey, Jr. of Nashville TN and daughter Carli of Scottsdale, AZ; Neal Durfey (Karen) and children Carl, Abigail, Nathan, Tomas, Tessa, Ruben and Jonas of Sullivan, OH; J. D. Durfey (LeAnn), and children Kaylee, Klancy, Kendall, and Richard of Stephenville, TX; sister Deanna Day (Don) of Bentonville, AR; brother Garry Durfey of Colorado Springs, CO and many aunts, uncles and cousins.

In lieu of flowers please consider remembering Walter with a gift to New Tribes Mission Aviation, 3870 W Volunteer Street, McNeal AZ 85617.