Thomas Durant Obituary

CHARLESTON, S.C.- Mr. Thomas Ordway Durant, husband of the late Marjorie Merrow Durant, died November 17, 2003 at Roper Hospital. Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, November 20, 2003 in Magnolia Cemetery with the Reverend John Ball officiating. Following the service, friends are invited to the home of Nancy Smythe. The family will receive friends at the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Dunbar, 70 King Street, Wednesday, November 19th between 5 and 7 p.m. Mr. Durant was a native of Charleston and retired from General Motors Overseas Operation in Caracas, Venezuela in 1960. Mr. Durant was born to Edward W. Durant and Nancy Miles Durant March 2, 1912. He was a member of the Carolina Yacht Club and Yeamans Hall Golf Club. Until recently, he summered at his Maine camp where he could pursue his love of fly-fishing. Mr. Durant, or 'Tommy', as he was called by many, was known for his humanitarian spirit. Family and friends appreciated him for the countless hours he spent helping out those in need. Strangers were touched by his caring, as he volunteered at MUSC and Meals On Wheels until he was 89 years old. Mostly recently Mr. Durant did his best care giving for his wife Marge, who died in June of this year, completing almost 70 years of a very happy marriage. He is survived by nephews, Edward W. Durant IV of Augusta, and O. Bierne Chisolm and his wife Barbara of Asheville, NC; nieces: Nancy Conner Smythe of Charleston, S.C., Margaret Durant Dunstan of Augusta, Nancy Durant Sroufe of Santa Rosa Beach, Fla. and Jacqueline Walker Conner Dunbar of Spartanburg, S.C., Nancy Chisolm Martin and her husband Wallace of Columbia, S.C. and Loti Chisolm Wood of Ponte Vedra, Fla. and their extended families. Additionally mourning his loss is his loyal friend and caregiver, Anna Mae Stevens of Charleston. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to a charity of ones choice. Arrangements by J. Henry Stuhr, Inc., Downtown Chapel. Sign the guestbook at AugustaChronicle.com