Mary Durkovich

Mary Elizabeth “Betty” Lawrence Durkovich of Mathews, VA passed away on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020 after a long illness. She was born in Portsmouth, VA on August 17, 1933, and is a graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School in Portsmouth.

She is predeceased by her husband Rev. John Durkovich, whom she married in 1955. Together they served in the Ministry of the Virginia United Methodist Church for 50 years, serving in churches all over the state of Virginia. Also preceding her in death are her parents Jesse and Mabel Lawrence from Portsmouth, VA and her son John Andrew “Andy” Durkovich of Bangor, ME.

She is survived by her two daughters and their husbands, grand-daughters and families; Mary Anna Durkovich Canter and her husband Glenn Canter and their two daughters, Taylor Nicole and Emily Paige, and Rebecca Lynn “Becky” Zeller and her husband John Zeller and their two daughters, Jessie Alana and Megan Lynn and their grand-daughter Fynlee, and son Andy’s wife JoAnne Durkovich and their daughter Dr. Tracey Durkovich Clark. She also leaves behind a niece Becky Durkovich Tomlinson and her husband Gene and her great niece Robin Hassler and her husband Todd.

Betty was trained in classical opera and sang with many groups in the Tidewater area; including the Virginia Opera before marrying Rev. Durkovich. While her children were young, she taught preschool for a short time, but she always felt that her main job was to be a homemaker and she took great pride in her position as a “Preacher’s Wife”.

She was a member of Salem United Methodist Church in Diggs, VA. While there, she was a member of the Salem UMC Women’s Club (Lily Hopkins Circle) and member of the choir. She was a past president of the Locust Grove United Methodist Women’s Club at Locust Grove United Methodist Church in Dutton while she and Rev. Durkovich were serving there. She was the choir director and member of the Mathews Women’s Club, past chairman of the Mathews County Library Board and member of the Friends of the Library. She was also extremely honored to have served as the Worthy Matron of Oriental Chapter No. 30 OES in Mathews. In addition, she was also a member of the Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the Kings Daughters & Sons, and a member of the Peninsula Emmaus.

A celebration of Betty’s life will be held at Salem United Methodist Church in Diggs, VA on Sunday, January 26, 2020 at 2:00 pm. Please wear beautiful colors as we are celebrating her life.

In lieu of flowers, you may send donations honoring her to Salem United Methodist Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 474, Mathews, VA 23109.

The family would like to thank the many people who work at the Riverside-Mathews Convalescent Center for the loving care that they gave to our mom / nana. And to the wonderful people in Mathews who welcomed her and our father as members of your town, we thank you, they both loved living there and making it their home for many years.

Faulkner Funeral Homes, Foster-Faulkner Chapel, Mathews, is assisting the family with the arrangements.