Obituary of Carl Lewis Durling

Carl Lewis Durling, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully on January 14, 2025 in his home surrounded by his loving family. 

Carl was born on January 19, 1939 in Loma Linda, California.  His childhood spent on the Glen Helen ranch in San Bernardino instilled in him a lifelong love of horses, ranching, and all things cowboy, as well as the beauty of the California desert. He loved Perry Mason and John Wayne movies. 

Carl graduated from high school in 1957 and served in the Army from 1959 – 1962 with training at Fort Ord, CA., and Fort Bliss, TX.  He served at Naha Air Base in Okinawa, Japan. He was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints around this time. After the Army he moved to Marysville and then Chico where he met Brenda Olson.  They were married on January 5, 1965 in the Oakland LDS temple.  They lived in Chico and later Sacramento, Utah, and finally settled in Oroville where they recently celebrated their 60th anniversary.

Carl graduated from Chico State with a degree in Business Administration in Jan. 1970 and later completed a Master’s Degree in Public Administration.  He served through many capacities in his community: On the Oroville City Planning commission, through church service in his local congregation as a scout master, a missionary, a youth leader, and an LDS priesthood leader serving in many other callings.  Carl also spent many hours ministering to those incarcerated in the Butte County jail. He always sought the man who struggled and tried to lift him up in any way he could.

Carl leaves behind his beloved wife, Brenda Olson Durling, his sons, Christopher Durling (Jenesse), Dennis Durling (Anna), Patrick Durling, and Anthony Durling (Belinda), and a daughter, Jennifer Nelson (Eric) along with 21 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.  Carl leaves a huge hole in all our hearts.

Funeral services will be held at the LDS chapel on Table Mountain Blvd., in Oroville on Saturday, January 25, 2025 beginning with the viewing at 10:00am.  Carl will be interred at 10:30am on Monday, January 27, 2025 at Memorial Park Cemetery in Oroville.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Ramsey Funeral Home 530-534-3877