1933-2023

Durel Z. Reid, 89, of Flower Mound went to be with his Savior, Jesus Christ, on July 29, 2023.

Durel was born on October 18, 1933, to Charlie and Esther Reid in Canton. After graduating from Canton High School in 1951, he briefly attended Baylor University and then pursued a pharmacy degree at the University of Texas at Austin where he graduated in 1956.

After graduating from UT, Durel returned to Canton to work as a pharmacist at a local drugstore, and then moved to Arlington to work at Park Row Pharmacy. He attended Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas where he was a member of a young adult Sunday School class. It was there where he met Jean Carol Setterberg. Durel and Jean wed in 1962, and they went on to have two children, Julie Reid Tally and Donald Warren Reid.

In 1968, Durel and his family moved to Eastland where Durel became owner and operator of the corner drugstore, Eastland Drug. Jean managed their gift shop, the Gold Lantern, adjacent to the drugstore.

Durel loved being a pharmacist, and he loved helping people. For many years, the soda fountain at Eastland Drug was the spot for locals to gather over coffee, lunch, or a milkshake. Durel was a kind and generous employer. On several occasions, Durel and Jean took the Eastland Drug employees and spouses to see Dallas Cowboys football games. Those special weekends were talked about for many years.

Durel had a heart for serving elderly people through his work, and regularly went above and beyond by stopping to visit with many who were homebound or in nursing homes. He also helped people, regardless of age, who were poor or in need. Durel and Jean were foster parents, and they were great examples to their own children to care for the underprivileged and under- represented.

Durel was a public servant to the Eastland community as well. He served on the Eastland City Commission for several years and he was Mayor from 1973 to 1974.

Durel’s hobby and passion was classical music. He was an accomplished pianist and organist. He was the organist at First Baptist Church of Eastland for many years.

In 1986, Durel and Jean sold Eastland Drug and moved to Bedford so that Jean could be closer to her doctors during her battle with cancer. While living in Bedford, Durel was a pharmacist at Town & Country Drug in Fort Worth which later became Eckerd Drug and eventually CVS Pharmacy.

After Jean’s passing in 1991, Durel was a regular attendee of a senior adult Sunday School class at Park Cities Baptist Church. There he met Barbara Triplett Reid. Durel and Barbara wed in 1993.

Together, Durel and Barbara attended countless organ and classical music concerts, often traveling to Europe to see some of the historic cathedrals there. They even had an organ built at their home in Dallas. They eventually donated the organ to the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana.

In his later years, Durel continued to serve others as a music leader in his Sunday School class at Park Cities Baptist Church.

Durel was a loving father to his children, Julie and Donald. He left them a legacy of love, hard work, and service to others.

Durel was predeceased by his father, Charlie Calvin Reid; his mother, Esther Peel Reid; his sister, Wanda Reid; his twin brother, Dorel Reid; and his former wife, Jean Carol Reid (mother of his children Julie Reid Tally and Donald Reid). He is survived by his wife, Barbara; his daughter, Julie Reid Tally (and husband, Tracy Tally); his son, Donald Reid (and wife, Melissa Morris Reid); granddaughters Emily Carol Griesbach (and husband, Chad Griesbach), Elizabeth Tally, Erica Tally, Anna Reid, Kathryn Reid, and Ellen Tally; great-grandson Shepherd Griesbach; step-daughters Leslie Reid Hudson (and husband, John Link), Kathy Reid O’Keeffe (and husband, Bill O’Keeffe), and Elizabeth (Libba) Reid Zak; step-grandchildren Ben Hudson (and wife, Emily Aberg), Hannah Hudson, Reid Zak, and Philip Zak; several nephews; and many other loving relatives and friends.

A memorial service was held on August 8, 2023, at Ellis Chapel, Park Cities Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to First Baptist Church of Eastland or the charity of your choice.