Charles Francis Durkin passed away August 29, 2015 on the second day of his 50-year-reunion from Butte Central High School. Always a booster of both Butte Central and Butte High, he would have said he should have waited till after the dinner so he could have visited with more of his classmates.
Chuck was born in Butte on March 12, 1947, to Thomas Michael and Mildred Mary (Rogers) Durkin. Chuck attended St. Lawrence and Immaculate Conception grade schools and graduated from Boys Central High School with the class of 1965. He furthered his education at Montana Tech and Western Montana College.
On July 7, 1973, Chuck married Penny Zimmer in St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Belt, Montana. From this union were born Eric, Craig, and Andrew Durkin.
Chuck worked for the Anaconda Co., first as a laborer and then as an oiler on the drills. In 1975, he accepted a position with the Montana Department of Transportation. He worked in various capacities with the survey crews and as an inspector for construction projects, achieving the position of Senior Engineering Technician and retiring from state employment in 2007. He also served in the Montana Army National Guard, attaining the rank of Sgt. E-5.
For many years, Chuck was a member of the Montana Amateur Speed Skating Association. He loved coaching the little “chair-pushers”, and served as president and as a representative of the Butte Association. Chuck was also a member of the Knights of Columbus.
Chuck remained active after his retirement. He and Penny took up golf and walking and after Penny retired they enjoyed winters in Arizona. Until his recent illness, Chuck almost never missed the games of either high school. He called himself an equal-opportunity sports fan.
Chuck was preceded in death by his grandparents, Thomas and Lila Rogers and Thomas and
Bridget Durkin and also by his parents, Thomas M. (sr.) and Mildred M. Durkin and by brothers James G. Durkin and Robert W. Durkin.
Surviving relatives include his wife Penny Zimmer Durkin and children Eric Todd, Craig Charles (Amanda) and Andrew Daniel Durkin. He is also survived by his sister, Mildred (Harry) Voss; brothers; Thomas M. (Carole) Durkin, John P. (Gerry) and Daniel J. (Marilyn); sisters-in-law; Lucina Durkin, Carley (Ron) Iverson, Debbie (Glenn) Langermann and brother-in-law; Dan (Susie) Zimmer. Last but so important in Chuck’s heart are grandsons Cayson and Finn Durkin.
Funeral mass will be celebrated Wednesday, September 2nd, at St. Patrick’s Church. Visitation will begin at 10:00am with services following at 11:00am. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Our Lady of the Rockies Charitable Foundation, the Montana Amateur Speed Skating Assoc., (c/o Don Foley, 17 Wells St. Butte, MT 59701) or to an organization of the donor’s choice.
