Aura May Durham

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Aura May Durham, 90, of Greencastle, died peacefully at home on Friday, Jan. 9, 2015 after a two-year battle with cancer.

She was born on June 30, 1924 in Greencastle, the youngest of six children born to Aura May Sawyer Durham and Andrew E. Durham.

Aura May graduated from Greencastle High School before attending DePauw University where she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta and earned a B.A. in Spanish in 1946.

After college Aura May moved to New York City where she was employed by Universal International Films Inc. as a Spanish script translator.

She returned to Greencastle to assist her mother after the death of her father in 1954. Aura May and sister-in-law, Frances H. Durham, established Putnam County Abstracts, a successful business in operation until Aura May's retirement in 2014.

Aura May was preceded in death by her parents; four sisters, Joanna D. McGaughey, Jane D. Anderson, Margaret Durham and Ann D. Weinrichter; one brother, James Frank Durham; two nieces, Heather A. Bernardi and Jennifer A. Amon; and three nephews, Andrew D. McGaughey, David P. McGaughey and Jeffrey S. Anderson.

Surviving are 10 nieces and nephews, William H. McGaughey Jr., Margaret McGaughey Isaacson, Cathy Anderson Sandler, Rodrick B. Anderson, Andrew H. Durham, George B. Durham, Stephanie S. Durham, Madeleine D. Thomas, Kathryn D. Weinrichter-Sundeen, Ralph M. Weinrichter III and their families.

Aura May was a remarkably independent, witty and highly principled woman, who loved to travel, was loyal to family and had a fondness for "four-legged beasties."

An informal service with family and friends will be held at Bittles and Hurt Funeral Home at 1 p.m. on Jan. 20. Inurnment will follow at Forest Hill Cemetery.

Memorials in Aura May's name may be directed to the Aura May Durham Community Endowment c/o Putnam County Community Foundation, 2 S. Jackson St., Greencastle, Ind., 46135 or to the charity of your choice.