'He gave so much'
Navy corpsman honored at Grass Valley funeral
By Robyn Moormeister, robynm@theunion.com
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12:01 a.m. PT May 9, 2008
The grieving sister and fiancee of Navy corpsman Daniel Durgin stood squeezing hands at Durgin's funeral service Thursday, trying to explain to the crowd of about 400 people why the 33-year-old was so special and cherished.
They and Durgin's fellow sailors described a kindhearted, generous man committed to his family and country, a United States Navy hospital corpsman first class who served three tours of active duty with the Marines, including one year in Iraq.
"He was a joy in my life and in the lives of my children," Durgin's older sister, Brynda Traylor said. "I realize I don't have to tell you what a great man he was because you already knew... He gave so much and asked for so little."
Sierra Knapp, the woman Durgin meant to marry on May 24, said Durgin always put his loved ones first.
"I'm grateful to Daniel for giving me the happiest days of my life," Knapp said. Her marriage vows to Durgin, along with his vows, were printed on the back of the funeral program.
Durgin was killed April 27 when, while stopped in traffic on his motorcycle in Marysville, he was rear-ended by a woman driving a van. The woman's husband told The Union she had not been paying attention to the road.
The woman later said Durgin's sister called her to say the family had forgiven her.
Durgin's tragic, untimely death drew a crowd of Navy sailors from around the world who wanted to honor their "fallen shipmate."
"He chose a life of service to others, putting country before self," Navy Rear Admiral Edward Reidy said. "He proudly wore the cloth of our nation."
"He could have been anything he wanted to be," said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Dennis Smith. "I will miss that Daniel grin."
Durgin's microbiology professor at California State University, Sacramento, and other friends relayed stories of a funny, smart, inquisitive young man who enjoyed making people smile - such as the time he dyed blue the tail of his sister's puppy, or aged cheap cheese as a biology experiment and created some tasty bleu.
"Some people threw old cheese away, but Daniel propagated it in his kitchen cupboards," professor Susanne Lindgren said, the audience laughing.
Accompanied by music, Durgin's Navy buddy played a slideshow of images showing Durgin goofing around with friends, traveling to beautiful places with his family, serving as a medic in Iraq, and riding as a child on his father's motorcycle, his father Arthur Durgin sitting behind him.
At the end of the service, the local chapter of the Blue Star Mothers of America presented Durgin's mother, Elsie Durgin, Traylor and Knapp with yellow roses and gold banners.
Elsie Durgin walked over to the open casket to have a last look at her son. A friend comforted her as she turned away from the coffin and cried.
At the burial at Rough and Ready Cemetery, uniformed men offered a 21-gun salute, military planes flew overhead, and servicemen folded the American flag, then presented it to Sierra Knapp.
To contacted Staff Writer Robyn Moormeister, e-mail rmoormeister@theunion.com or call 477-4236.
