Dr. Kenneth R. Durham, Jr.

Ken was born on May 25, 1938, in Tahoka, Texas to Kenneth R. Durham, Sr., D.D.S and Eloise Hutchison Durham. He graduated from Tahoka H. S. in 1956 and received his B.A. in History and Education from Baylor in 1960; his M.A. in history from East Texas State Teacher's College (now A&M Commerce) in 1963, and his Ph.D. in College Teaching-History from the University of North Texas in 1971. He and Jeanette Davis met at Baylor and married in 1961, after which they both taught school in Brownfield, Texas. They moved to Longview in 1964 when LeTourneau College (now LeTourneau University) hired Ken to teach History and Political Science. Ken was a life member of the Texas State Historical Assn, the East Texas Historical Assn, and the Baylor Alumni Assn. He was also a member of the East Texas History Club and the Gregg County Historical Society. In addition to teaching history, Ken was also an active historian, writing and publishing Santa Anna's Period of Captivity in Texas after the Texas Revolution; LeTourneau University's First Fifty Years 1945 - 1995; and William Edwards Paxton: Baptist Historian-1825 - 1883, as well as articles in the East Texas Historical Journal and in Louisiana History.
   Ken was very active in First Baptist Church. He taught children's Sunday School and later was a team-teacher of an adult men's class. He served for over thirty years as an active deacon and was the coordinator for the First Baptist van drivers in the Longview Interfaith Hospitality Network. He also volunteered one morning a week at the Buckner Family Services Center where he received donations and placed them on display.
   After Ken retired from LeTourneau University in 2001, he enjoyed spending time with his twelve grandchildren, volunteering, and reading.
   Ken is survived by his wife Jeanette and three sons. David and his wife Kim are the parents of Grace (who is married to Jason Taylor and has a son named Elijah), Emma, Jeff, and Abi; John and his wife Beth who are the parents of Alexander, Hannah, Justin, and Tess; Mark and his late wife Rebekah are the parents of Reuben, Joel, Luke, and Naomi.