Obituary - Arla Elizabeth Durrett, 96

Arla Elizabeth Rose was born on August 18, 1907 in McCracken, Kansas, the daughter of Carl Lester and Neta Pearl Andersen Rose. In 1914, the family left Kansas to homestead 6 miles northwest of Arlington, Colorado. Arla and her older brother Paul enjoyed a childhood with 18 cousins, whose families homesteaded in the surrounding area, Paul and Arla rode double on a little Shetland pony named Jim to the Meadow Lee Country School. The family moved to Eads in 1920, where Arla graduated from Eads High School, Arla always had fond memories of the summers she and Paul spent exploring the area near Greeley while their parents completed college in preparation for teaching. Little did they know that this would be the beginning of a long line of educators. After graduating from Colorado Teacher's College in Greeley, Arla taught school in Towner, Sheridan Lake, Chivington and Eads. Her love of learning and her care and belief in each student influenced hundreds of children down through the years.

On August 15, 1937 Arla and William Donald Durrett were married. Busy years followed for them, raising a household of 6 daughters. Can you imagine 6 girls and two parents packed into a Packard and later a blue and white Ford station wagon for vacations. To keep track of us as we climbed the rocks in the Garden of the Gods and the South Dakota Badlands, mother often dressed us alike. We all fondly remember the summer of the black and pink shorts outfits. After her youngest was in school, Arla began to teach full time again in Eads. Following Dad’s retirement, they with other family couples traveled to Mexico several times. They also visited South America, Canada and Europe.

Retirement did not end her dedication to teaching. She continued to teach piano students, substituted elementary and high school and tutored G.E.D. students. Her last teaching stint occurred at the age of 87. Arla was a proud supporter of school activities, music and band events. She became a familiar figure sitting behind the team players at basketball games, wearing her team colors of purple and gold encouraging each one by name. Often they would come up to greet and visit with her during the game. Arla was instrumental in the Church of the United Brethren as a delegate to conferences, assemblies, director of youth for the conferences, which later became the E.U.B. church and then the Eads United Methodist Church. She was a Sunday school teacher, piano player and faithful worshiper. Every year from 196o’s on until the last year of her life, Arla read the entire Bible through each year.

Arla worked for 12 months each year preparing for the Kiowa County Fair. Her entries gathered her at least 37 champions, but who's counting. Many winter hours were spent looking through the premium book preparing for the coming year's fair. Our job, if we were home at fair time, was usually to load and transport the dozens and dozens of entries to the fairgrounds. Arla took her civic responsibility of voting very seriously, and from the time she was eligible to vote until her death, she never missed an election. She voted in every election, whether it was school board, REA board, county, or national. Many of you can remember her sitting at the courthouse until the last vote was counted, watching on TV for the national and state victories and congratulating the county officials in person.

Arla supported and encouraged her family, expecting and getting their very best. Arla shared her gift of making dinner and sweet rolls with her daughters, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Is there a person in the county who has not enjoyed her hot dinner rolls at any and all public meals, church lunches, funeral dinners or election buffets? She also shared her love of history and geology during our travels when we were young. And taught her children and grandchildren how to knit or crochet under her patient tutelage. Until her death she knitted wonderful cotton wash cloths and loved to give them to others.

Arla was a special lady. Some of mom’s favorite sayings were: "I enjoy all my years. There’s not a one of them that was unhappy." "If I’m bored, it’s because I wanted to be for some reason." "When I was knee-high to a duck, I liked to keep busy and I never got over that." She was always telling us kids "You can sit in the corner and worry about things, but I think that the more you worry, the more you find to worry about." And at the age of 94 and one half years when Barb complimented her on her hairdo, she replied: "I move so slowly that it gives people something to look at as I pass by." She kept busy in the nursing home. If no one was around to play, she would play the right hand against the left until someone showed up to play. Arla was a good citizen, a generous neighbor, a passionate educator and a great cook but her staring role was as a mother, grandmother and great grandmother.

Arla Elizabeth Durrett died on December 26, 2003 in Denver, Colorado at the age of 96. She was preceded in death by her parents, Carl and Neta Rose, husband Donald and a great grandson. She is survived by her six daughters: Rev. Donna Rose Durrette, Betty (Ken) Moellenberg, Jean (Jerry) McKibben, Carol (Gary) Grote, Barbara (Jim) Armstrong and Beverly (Ray) Estis, 13 grandchildren: Elizabeth Goehring, Ellen Ahlers, Gary and Brent Moellenberg, Melissa and Sean McKibben, Jacquelynn and Jennifer Grote, Lesa and Cynthia Armstrong, Tracy Armstrong-Robertson and Alicia and David Estis and great grandchildren: Dylan and Tashua Peterson, Mytchel and Branden Ahlers, Breahna and Britney Robertson, Brandi Armstrong and Calvin Estis. Funeral services were held on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 at the United Methodist Church in Eads. Burial followed at the Arlington Cemetery in Arlington. Longtime family friend, Philomene Liesen provided the piano music for the service. The Durrett girls sang a special tribute to their mother and daughter Jean played "The Lord's Prayer" on the handbells. Memorial contributions may be made to the Weisbrod Auxiliary or Eads United Methodist Church. Brown Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.