John Dwain Durrence, 83, passed away peacefully at his home on June 12, surrounded by his loving family and under the compassionate care of Affinity Hospice, following a courageous battle with cancer. He was born on March 20, 1943, to Darwin and Carolyn Anderson Durrence.

John graduated from Glennville High School in 1961 and continued his education at Falls Technical College in Atlanta, where he earned a degree in Architectural Drawing. Following graduation, he worked in Atlanta for a short time before realizing that city life was not for him. He returned home to work on the family farm and later founded Durrence Seed Cleaning, Inc., a business that provided a valuable service to farmers throughout the region. The business is still operated today by his son, Al. John was an active member of the Georgia Crop Improvement Association and proudly served on its Board of Directors for several years.

Married to his high school sweetheart, Brenda Tootle Durrence, for 63 years, John cherished a life filled with love, family, and adventure. Together, they traveled throughout the United States and abroad, yet always looked forward to returning to their home in Glennville (Gooseneck) where they resided their entire married life.

A devoted member of Harmony Church, John served as Treasurer for 25 years and as Chairman of the Cemetery Committee for 15 years. Known for his frugality, strong work ethic, and meticulous attention to detail, he played an instrumental role in overseeing the church’s renovation project in 1999. His service and commitment were a blessing to the congregation for many years.

Diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in 2010, John became one of the longest-living survivors of the disease after undergoing various treatments, including a stem cell transplant in 2011. Throughout his journey, he kept a positive attitude and always gave God the glory for his years of remission, sharing this in his testimony with others several times. After being diagnosed with gastric cancer in June 2024, he continued to maintain his positive outlook and strong faith as he courageously fought the fight. His calm and peaceful demeanor was always evident, even on the hardest days, and will forever remain an inspiration to his family and all those who loved him. The family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Mark Taylor of the Lewis Cancer Center for his many years of dedicated care and compassion.

John was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Brenda; his children, Brent (Roxanne) Durrence of Reidsville and Al (Melanie) Durrence of Glennville; and his brothers, Danny (Sandra) Durrence of Glennville and Gerald (Elaine) Durrence of Brunswick. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Dylan (Carley) Durrence, Destiny (Russ) Harrell of Reidsville, Alexis Durrence and Olivia Durrence of Glennville; his great-grandchildren, John Everett “Jed” Durrence, Henley Durrence, and Sarah Harrell, all of Reidsville. Additional survivors include his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Alex (Donna) Tootle and Kimi (Dana) Hammock of Glennville, along with several beloved nieces and nephews.

Visitation will begin at 10:00 am, Monday, June 15, 2026, at Harmony Church. Funeral Services will be held at 12:00 noon, Monday, June 15, 2026, at Harmony Church. Burial will follow in Harmony Church Cemetery.

Pallbearers: Dylan Durrence, Russ Harrell, Royce Kennedy, Mac Durrence, Cal DeLoach, Keith Pirkle.

Honorary Pallbearers: Jimmy Driggers, Tommy Moore, Ted French, Pete Blocker, Mike Durrence.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be sent to: Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer & Research Pavilion, 225 Candler Dr., Savannah, GA 31405 or Harmony Church, PO Box 1119, Glennville, Ga 30427 or Tattnall County C.A.R.E.S., 757 Thomas Lane, Reidsville, GA 30453.

Care and Services are entrusted to Brannen Family Funeral Services, Glennville, Georgia. “Our Family Serving Your Family.”