Beatrice Durkee

Beatrice W. Durkee, age 97, of Saranac Lake, died Tuesday, December 06, 2011 at AMC-Mercy Health Care Center in Tupper Lake where she had been a resident since 2001.

Born in Hartford, New York on April 02, 1914, she was the daughter of Frank and Jessie (Smith) Woodell. Beatrice married Clifford W. Durkee on October 31, 1936. He predeceased her on March 13, 1963.

Mrs. Durkee moved to Saranac Lake in 1952 and had been employed at the Saranac Lake General Hospital as an LPN for many years. She also had owned and operated Durkee’s Adult Boarding Home on Front Street in Saranac Lake. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Saranac Lake and was a kindhearted, compassionate and caring person providing meals and assistance to anyone she could help.

She is survived by three daughters Evelyn Martelle of Saranac Lake, NY, Jessie Aubin and her husband Norris of Saranac Lake, NY, Barbara Marchand and her husband Milton of Phoenix, NY, two sons, Ronald Durkee and his wife Noella of Fulton, NY, and Donald Durkee and his wife Dorothy of Lake Clear, NY, one brother Albert Woodell of Salem, NY, 19 Grandchildren, 29 Great Grandchildren, 3 great-great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her father, mother, one son William, three sisters Alice Durkee, Alverta Sawyer, and Elsie Curtis, two brothers Frank and Raymond Woodell, her grandson Dana Durkee, and her son-in-law David Martelle.

Calling hours will take place at the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home on Thursday, December 8, 2011 from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM. A funeral service will take pace at 2:30 PM on Friday at the funeral home, with Rev. Michael Richards officiating. Burial will follow at Pine Ridge Cemetery in Saranac Lake.

Friends wishing to remember Beatrice W. Durkee may make memorial contributions to Saranac Lake Vol. Fire Dept. and North Country Life Flight in care of the funeral home. Family and friends can also share their memories and sign the online guest book at fortunekeoughfuneralhome.com.