Durancita "Auntie Dudy" Duran

"OUR FOREVER ANGEL" The loving daughter of Dionicio & Modesta Duran was born on October 29, 1921 in St. John's, AZ. Dudy’s siblings consisted of 3 brothers and 5 sisters, Don, Toni, Tana, Flavio (Dec.), Della, Barbara, Frank and Lucille. At the age of 5 her father, the former Apache County Sheriff, Recorder and Accessor suffered a massive heart attack leaving her mother, Modesta, to provide for the family. Overnight, it seemed Modesta converted their home into a restaurant serving local residents as far as Concho and Springerville. And in the ensuing weeks and months all the brothers & sisters learned the meaning of work to keep the Duran family ship afloat. Sister Tana took on the task of helping their mother provide for the education and the needs of all the younger children. Dudy attended grade school and high school in the rural town of St. John's. Her mother Modesta made sure all her children were raised Catholic. In the early 1940's with her older sisters Tana and Toni having relocated to Phoenix, AZ the remaining family members moved into a home near what is now St. Mary's Basilica.

Throughout the war years (1940-1945) Dudy and her sister Tana would take a bus to the then rural town of Goodyear to work in the Goodyear tire factories that had been converted into defense factories. This included building F4U courier fighter planes, B-29 bomber fuselage sections, blimps, bullet proof fuel tanks, gas masks and synthetic rubber ammunition. The work force included many women who operated on tight schedules to support the allied war effort. Workers were considered “soldiers of production” operating heavy machinery, welding, and riveting in the converted tire factories that had been converted for defense. Following her service in the war factories, Dudy went to cosmetology school and obtained a license to be a hair stylist.

For the next 45 years of her life Dudy would work and eventually own a beauty salon on 16th Street / Thomas Road serving the country club set and winter visitors that flocked to Phoenix.

Never marrying or having children she took great joy in being a phenomenal aunt to all her nieces and nephews. Whenever a crisis arose in her large family Dudy would always be the person to show up alongside Modesta, to provide care and compassion.

After Dudy’s mother’s death in 1984 she continued operating her hair salon for a few more years. When she sold her business in 1990 she moved in with her sister Lucille, brother-in-law Edward Gallardo Sr. and her favorite nephew Rory where she resided until her passing.

During her “golden years” Dudy devoted her life to caring for others. Among those she served were Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Tom Fitzpatrick and his wife attorney Christine Fitzpatrick. She immensely loved them. Knowing the Kirkpatricks, Dudy was introduced to the Honorable Sally Gaines and former husband Gordon Barnard, who worked as a pilot for Delta Airlines. That relationship led to the joy of her life working as a domestic and caring for their sons William and Ben Barnard. Dudy continued her lifelong devotion of caretaking for her sister Lucille until her passing in 2004 and her brother-in-law’s passing in 2017. Known as the energizer bunny, Dudy actually retained her driver’s license up to the age of 100. She was a lifelong reader of history and novels, up to about six months prior to her passing.

Being such a loving aunt her family has celebrated her birthdays since she was 98 with well over 150 nieces and nephews her title has ranged from aunt to great great great great aunt. Her nephews Chris and Rory Gallardo loved and cared for her up until her passing in her own home. The family would like to thank the Duran, Trujillo, Martinez, Nuanez, Garcia, Gallardo, Kusa, Barnard-Gaines, and Fitzpatrick families for making our loving angels’ life so wonderful. Great thanks to Kim and Chris Kusa, Anthony Garcia, Gordon Barnard, and Richard Trujillo for the assistance in making sure Dudy received the funeral she so deserves for all her lifelong dedications to each and everyone she knows. Thanks Jim and Gail Wagner for making sure there was not one thing Dudy had to do without. It will be difficult to forget someone who gave us so much to remember. When someone you love becomes a memory, that memory becomes a treasure. Dudy will always be an angel in the life of all those whose life she touched; and will be remembered as a special angel forever.

Visitation will be Thursday, February 12th from 4:30 – 7:00 p.m. with a rosary at 6:00 p.m. at Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home, 4800 E. Indian School Road in Phoenix. Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, February 13th at 10:00 a.m. at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, 4700 N. Central Avenue in Phoenix, with a procession to St. Francis Catholic Cemetery for the burial. ALL FAMILY AND FRIENDS are welcome to attend a celebration of Dudy’s life following services at Aunt Chiladas, from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. at 7330 N. Dreamy Draw Drive in Phoenix.