Thomas E. Durant Sr.

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Thomas Edward Durant Sr. was born Feb. 4, 1953, in Sumter County, to the late Ernest and Ella Agnes Smith Durant. He departed this life on Dec. 11, 2012, after a brief illness.

Thomas served in the United States Army for two years and then served in the Army Reserve. He later attended Sumter Area Technical College. He was formerly employed as a shipping and receiving clerk for Martin Color-Fi and Best Lumber Co. before he retired.

He leaves to cherish precious memories: his wife of 38 years, Shirley Carter Durant; a daughter, Tamara Necole Durant; two sons, Thomas Edward Durant Jr. and Travis Sentell Durant, all of Sumter; four grandchildren, Tyrell Durant, Takyma Durant-Wright and TreQuan Durant, all of Sumter, and Tayrion Durant of Warner Robbins, Ga.; two brothers, Frederick J. (Bernadette) Durant Sr. and Tyrone Durant, both of Sumter; a stepmother, Doretha Durant; two stepbrothers, Barry (Joanne) Wilson and Franklin (Julia) Wilson, all of Sumter; one stepsister, Andrena Wilson of Columbia; four brothers-in-law, Johnny (Mable), Sidney (Dolly) Carter of Sumter, Edward (Joe Ellen) Carter and George (Betty) Carter of Paterson, N.J.; one uncle, Italy (Eartha) Hopkins of Williamsburg, Va.; four aunts, Camilla Durant of New York, Valeria Durant of Paterson, and Anna Hopkins and Julia Hopkins, both of Williamsburg; a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

Brother Durant will be placed in the church at 11 a.m. today for viewing until the hour of service.

Funeral service will be held at noon today at St. James United Methodist, 720 Broad St., Sumter, with Pastor Mary Johnson officiating. Interment will follow in Hillside Memorial Park.

Job’s Mortuary Inc., 312 S. Main St., Sumter, is in charge of arrangements.

Online memorials may be sent to the family at jobsmortuary@sc.rr.com or visit us on the web at www.jobsmortuary.net.