William ‘Bill’ R. Durham

SALEM — William ‘Bill’ R. Durham, 73, passed away on Monday, April 17, 2023, after a valiant battle with cancer, at the Hospice House in Youngstown.

Bill was born on Aug. 13, 1949, in Salem, the son of the late Grady and Donna (Hodson) Durham.

He honorably served in the U.S. Army earning the National Defense Service Medal and the Sharpshooter M-14 badge.

Bill was a 1968 graduate of Salem High School. Following graduation and honorable military discharge, Bill began his career as a machinist, in area manufacturing plants, and in 2014 he retired from Cowles Tool. He worked security and housekeeping at Salem Regional Medical Center, for many years.

His loving family will miss his cunning sense of humor and the times he made them laugh with his quick wit and jokes. Until the very end, Bill ‘put his family in stiches’ laughing together, leaving them with fond memories.

Bill loved to cook and enjoyed watching cooking shows like “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” and “The Kitchen.” His family will miss his famous signature dressing on Thanksgiving.

Bill and wife Peg were tenured members of First Friends Church in Salem.

Survivors include Margaret “Peg” Durham; son Lance (Billie Jo) Durham of Lisbon; stepdaughters Vicki (Jim) Bettura of Columbiana and Cindy (Lee) Guterba of Leetonia; 12 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren; and sister Judy (Joe) Kozar of Salem.

Services were held Thursday at Stark Memorial Funeral Home.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice House, 9803 Sharrott Road, North Lima, Ohio 44514.

To view Bill’s obituary, send condolences or order flowers, visit www.starkmemorial.com.

4/21/22