Dina D. Durward

Dina D. Durward, age 70, of Thomson, Illinois, previously of Morrison, Illinois died Sunday, October 23, 2011 at home. A memorial service will be held 3:00 p.m. Thursday, October 27, 2011 at the Argo Fay United Methodist Church, rural Thomson. In lieu of flowers memorials may be given in her memory for the Argo Fay United Methodist Church or Mercy Hospice of Clinton, Iowa.

Dina was born October 23, 1941 in Clinton, Iowa, the daughter of Leslie J. and Inez G. (Whipple) Durward. She is a graduate of the York Community High School, Thomson. Dina then attended Mercy Hospital School of Nursing, Dubuque, Iowa and worked as a Registered Nurse. She received a B.S. Degree from the University of Long Beach, Long Beach, California and then her Master’s Degree Community Health Education from the University of Illinois, Champaign.

Dina taught at the University of Illinois and also at The University of North Carolina, Greensboro. She was a strong patient advocate, helping people help themselves make good life choices. Her passion was teaching. Dina made her friends her "family" and kept in touch even while moving around the country. She was a member of the Argo Fay United Methodist Church and the American Diabetic Education Association.
She will be dearly missed by her three sisters, Gayle (Esteban) Hidalgo of Thomson, Joy Durward of Little Rock, AR and Cynthia Durward Blenstoub of Rockford; a nephew, Benjamin (Karen) Hidalgo of San Francisco, CA; and a niece, Ana Hidalgo of New London, CT. Dina is preceded in death by both parents and a brother in-law, Mark Blenstroub