Ray Duerling

J. Ray Duerling, 91, of Fallston, Maryland, formerly of Clinton, Iowa, died Wednesday, March 11, 2009 at Oak Crest Care Facility, Parkville, Maryland. Per his wishes, his body has been donated for anatomical research to the Maryland State Anatomy Board. A memorial service will be at noon, March 14 at the Oak Crest Village Chapel, 8800 Walther Blvd., Parkville, Md. 21234. Mr. Duerling had lived with his wife, Dottie at Oak Crest Village since 2001. She passed away on November 16, 2007 James Ray Duerling was born on April 7, 1917 in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of James Robert and Mildred McGill Duerling. He married Dorothea “Dottie” Beigel on April 25, 1940 in Baltimore, Md. Ray was a graduate of City High School in Baltimore. He was a veteran of WW II serving in Italy. Ray and his wife moved to Clinton, Iowa in September 1958 with then Lord Baltimore Press. They moved back to Maryland when International Paper purchased Lord Baltimore Press in June 1966, making their home in Fallston, Md. until 2001. Ray was an avid amateur radio operator using the call letters K0SCW in Iowa and W3WFP while in Maryland. While in Iowa, through his volunteerism coordinating all radio communications to help save the town of Clinton from the great flood of 1965, Ray was awarded a certificate of commendation for all his efforts and was featured on the cover of the national amateur radio operators’ magazine, QST. Ray and Dottie were loyal members of First United Methodist Church in Clinton and Fallston United Methodist Church in Fallston, Md. For many years he volunteered as the “sound man” at the Fallston church services where he would make audio tapes of the services for all the shut-in members who could not attend. Ray is survived by his sister, Dot Baker, of the Oak Crest Retirement Facility in Parkville, Maryland; two sons, Dennis Duerling of Clinton, Iowa and his children Denell (Doug) Norem and Drew (Nicole) Duerling of Cedar Rapids, Iowa and David Duerling and his wife Donna of Bel Air, Maryland, and their children Sarah, Katie, Kristen Duerling all of Bel Air; four great-grandchildren, Madison and Masen Norem and Tyler and Colton Duerling all of Cedar Rapids. Ray is preceded in death by his parents, his wife and his brother-in-law Walter Baker Jr. The family requests that memorials be made in lieu of flowers to Oak Crest Benevolent Care Fund, Oak Crest Village, 8820 Walther Blvd., Parkville, Md. 21234 or Fallston United Methodist Church, 1503 Fallston Road, Fallston, Md. 21047.

Ray Duerling

April 7, 1917 - March 11, 2009