The Herald Democrat
February 8, 2011

BELLS - Raymond Durham passed away February 6, 2011 at the Whitesboro Nursing Center after a lengthy illness.
Raymond was born May 23, 1914 in the Ida Community, the son of Roy Lee Durham and Maggie Dale Durham. He married Mary Francis Pike on September 2, 1940 in Bryan County, Oklahoma.
Raymond enjoyed telling how he got his first job. His father managed farms for Kay Kimbell of Kimbell Milling in Sherman. His relationship was such that when he told Mr. Kimbell that he had a son ready to go to work, Mr. Kimbell simply told the plant manager to "put him to work," so Daddy never had a job interview, but got a job because of Mr. Kimbell's respect for his dad. He made grain deliveries over Northern Oklahoma and Northern Texas.
When Quaker Oats bought Kimbell Milling, he stayed with Quaker Oats. During his time with Quaker, he helped start plants in Pennsylvania and Missouri. In 1975, when Quaker shut down the Sherman plant, he took early retirement.
Raymond is survived by his daughter, Carol Sue Waldrip and her husband, Johnny, of Sherman; son, Kenneth Durham and his wife, Carol, of Bells; brother, Paul Durham and his wife, LaJuan, of Irving; sisters, Ruby Laughlin and Betty Lou Duree, both of Sherman; grandchildren, Kendall and Kent Durham, and Paul and Daniel Waldrip; great-grandchildren, Korey and Kyler Durham, Chandler Durham, Alexandra Candalaria, John Riley Waldrip and Brandi Wilson.
His wife, Mary Francis; two brothers; and two sisters preceded him in death.
Funeral services were at 3 p.m. Thursday, February 10 at the First Baptist Church in Bells. Officiating was Rev. Thomas Beall and Rev. Bill Neal, Jr.  Interment was in Rose Hill Cemetery.