John Lars Durand

Dr. John Lars Durand was born October 27, 1952, to Frank and Marie Durand in Phoenix, Arizona. John graduated Valedictorian of the 1970 class of North Phoenix High School before earning his Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Arizona State University, where he was honored as top engineering graduate in the class of 1974. While studying his way through medical school at the University of Arizona, John met his future bride, Susie, whom he would marry in July of 1976. Throughout John’s internship and fellowship at the University of Texas San Antonio and, later, his cardiology training at Duke University, the couple supported one another and celebrated the birth of their son, Jeff.

Launching from North Carolina, the three Durands moved to Wichita Falls, Texas, where John began his career in Cardiology. After 7 years, the family moved again to Fort Worth, Texas to raise Jeff, build friendships, and spend the remainder of John’s 31-year career at Consultants in Cardiology before he retired in 2013. John loved practicing medicine and considered those years the best of his life. He was well known for his passion for every new case, attentiveness toward patients, detailed charting, and impeccable style and perfectly combed hair.

As happy as John was caring for patients, he was undeniably a family man who loved his wife and son wholeheartedly. They travelled extensively, with numerous expeditions abroad. Additionally, outings to his beloved family cabin in Greer, Arizona, and shorter jaunts to their beautiful lake house and deer pasture were a constant highlight to his days. As the family grew over the years, he took great delight in including his grandkids on excursions and adventures both near and far. “Gramps,” as he was called by his family and their friends, delighted in playing “alligator” in the lake or pool, reading books, playing games, and fishing or hunting whenever possible. Gramps was undeniably playful and loving, but he was most famous for his storytelling and loved regaling the kids with slightly exaggerated stories from his life. And so John’s legacy will remain as his stories continue and grow in the retellings that are sure to happen around the tables and campfires of the family and friends who loved him.

John is preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Marie Durand. He is survived by his beloved wife, Susie; their son, Jeff and his wife, Tricia; his grandchildren Addi, Jackson and Laura; his sisters, Ruthie Dent and Becky White and her husband, Don White; his brother Steve Durand and his wife, Jan; numerous nieces and nephews; and many dear family friends. Those who loved John are especially thankful for the supportive friends and compassionate caretakers who walked alongside the Durand seven these last four years.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 on Wednesday, July 23 in the Chapel at Christ Chapel Bible Church located at 3701 Birchman Ave in Fort Worth, with Michael Farmer officiating.

John loved fiercely, gave sacrificially, worked tirelessly, and lived totally fulfilled by his family and his faith. We will miss his presence in our lives, though his memory lives on in the “hearts” of everyone he touched.