Durl Olin Towne

Durl Olin Towne died in his home on the 11th of February 2018 surrounded by loved ones. He was 92 years old.
He was born January 28, 1926 to Philip and Anna Towne of Pomona, Ca. He loved his family, his friends, his church and his country all of his life!! He loved to serve others. Durl hardly knew a stranger. He would go out of his way to help anyone he met who was in need.
He grew up with his younger brother, Rolland, nicknamed Buddy, and his sister Nadine on the family citrus ranch in beautiful Claremont, Ca. He worked hard in the fragrant groves, learned to drive trucks and helped with all facets of citrus ranching. He enjoyed making things grow and bloom. What a green thumb. One way to get him to smile was to put him anywhere near a running diesel engine.

When he signed up for the Army in February of 1944 he was assigned to the European theatre in the 330th Infantry, 89th division of the third Army led by General Patton. He landed in France December of 1944. Assigned to carry a Bazooka gun, he helped save Gen Patton’s life from snipers, worked as anti tank and was a crack shot. He was there April 4 1945 at Ohrdruf concentration camp, the first camp to be freed by the US Army. He never spoke of these things to his children until many years later. He only shared the happy parts like speaking 4 languages besides English; German, French, Spanish and Italian. He said he had to learn the languages to talk to the pretty girls! He also always told us with fierceness that it was a privilege to serve his country.

After war he still served in the Army, National Guard and the Navy, worked on the ranch, sold anything and everything, built houses, and went back to school. In 1947 he fell in love with and married Wilma Cory whom he had known since childhood. This resulted in two happy daughters. He got his GED from Mt San Antonio College in 1948. Graduated in 1949. Had to quit school as a junior due to finances.

Durl owned many different businesses in his life. First was The Philip and Durl Towne Citrus Orchards, 1951-1959 with his father. When that was lost to eminent domain from the nearby high school taking the property, they bought Shasta Marina Resort on Lake Shasta and Durl , Wilma, Karen and Christy moved up in the summer of1959.

In his years at Lake Shasta Durl was the president of the Shasta Lake Chamber of Commerce and President of the School Board for a time in Lakehead, Ca. He was instrumental in getting 6 exits put in for Redding and also in keeping the highway scenery pretty when the concrete plant was installed at Mountain Gate, Ca near Bridge Bay Resort. Durl asked them to please keep the conveyor out of sight and they did. No big ugly factory right along the road!
While he was School Board President he got a new 4 room school built right below the Smithson Union 2 room school. It was a wonderful school. There were four rooms for classrooms and a library in the middle and restrooms on both sides of the building. We loved it. They called the new school Canyon Union Elementary School instead of Smithson Union.

In 1962 Durl left Lake Shasta and married Marlene Crouse and added three lovely stepdaughters to his family. They moved to Big Bar, CA and in July of 1962 they opened his first restaurant, Big Bar Station in Big Bar, CA. A cup of coffee was 5 cents and a hamburger with all the trimmings and a bag of chips was 50 cents. A French dip sandwich with tossed salad and homemade French fries was a dollar twenty-five. It was a big success and he had lots of girls to help run it. That lasted until the marriage ended in 1969.

In 1970 he leased Big Bar Station out and moved to Redding and bought 1/3 partnership in Bambaur’s Restaurant in 1970. It was while he was here that he met a hostess for Holiday Inn named Bobbi. She came into his restaurant one day while he was working on prep work in the kitchen before the restaurant opened for the day. He cooked all of his own meats, Anyway this woman came in spoke to the bartender and then came in the restaurant and started taking all of the gadroon style bowls. Durl went out there and asked who she was and what she was going to do with his Gadroons. She got grumpy and said who are you? And he told her he was the owner of the place!! She put the bowls down and stormed out in a huff! Durl followed her out to her truck where her cousin was waiting. She was mad! She told him she needed those for the luncheon she was in charge of for Richard Nixon. That was the meet cute for Durl and Bobbi. He only had that restaurant for a short time. For a while he worked for Holiday Inn as food Manager and assistant Inn keeper. Then he decided to open a new restaurant in 1971. It was on Becchelli Lane and it was called El Indio Mexican food. It was a success too! His food was great.

Bobbi and Durl were married in 1973. They owned and operated El Indio Mexican Food for about 15 years. It was a great success. When he married Bobbi he got 4 lovely stepdaughters and 2 wonderful stepsons. They had been happily married for 41years when Bobbi passed away in 2014. Durl was her primary caregiver for many years as they battled her Parkinson’s disease together.
He was proud of every one of his “kids” “Not a bad one in the bunch!”, he always said.
Durl moved to a retirement home in August of 2016 in Medford, Oregon to be near family while recuperating from hip surgery. He found a new love there, in Gloria Perkins. They had so many adventures together and he was so happy. He had been so lonely after Bobbi died.

Durl was diagnosed with colon cancer in October of 2017.The first thing he did when he was told it was terminal was to say a prayer with those of us who were there to thank God for his wonderful life.
Durl was preceded in death by stepdaughter Robin McConnell September 6, 2005, by step granddaughter Tiffany Knox Sept 23, 2005, grandson Matthew Olin Huff February 8, 2015, stepdaughter Marilyn and her spouse Kenny Fisher August 12 and 15, 2016, step grandson Clint Yonk December 17, 2016 and his brother, Rolland Dale Towne January 21, 2018.
Durl is survived by his daughters Karen Huff and Christy Upham, stepdaughters Lindi Ramsey, Debbie Laffranchini,Deann Knox, Leilani Dishing, Sheri Karlgaard and stepsons Larry Yonk and Greg Hawley and his girlfriend, Gloria Perkins and nine natural grandchildren and 26 stepgrands and 18 great grandchildren plus many stepgreats, and 5 step great great all beloved by him.
We will always remember his love of life, his love of work, his bravery, his generosity, his smile, his laughter, and his all-embracing bear hugs!! Rest in peace our hero!

Services for Durl will be held on Friday, March 9, 2018 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at 3410 Churn Creek Rd, Redding Ca. viewing at 10am Memorial service at 10: 30 am to 11;30, followed by an Army Honors ceremony at the VA Cemetery in Igo, Ca at 12:30. Then we’ll have the dedicatory prayer at his grave and go back to the church at 3410 Churn Creek Rd. for a luncheon with family and friends.