He was born to Mae Augusta Williams and Fredrick Augustus Durbin on Aug.28, 1921, in Cuba, New Mexico.

He was the youngest boy in a family of eight children – with two younger sisters, three older sisters and two older brothers.

Sisters, Zelma Tressider, Lela Mrack and Juanita Durbin, as well as both brothers, Earl and Ray Durbin, preceded him in death. Two sisters, Dorothy Nessett and Ruth Howell, survive him.

After Henry’s father died in 1926, his mother moved the large family to Oakland, Calif.

The Bay Area was Henry’s home from the age of 5. He graduated from Richmond High School where he excelled as a champion tennis player. Henry played some semi-pro tennis before enlisting in the Army Air Corps.

Henry served in the U.S. Army Corps from March 1941 to August 1945, earning the rank of Tech Sergeant and was Crew Chief on the Douglas A-26 Invader, 97th Bomb Squadron.

He participated in battles and campaigns in Algeria, French Morocco, Naples, Foggia, Tunisia, Sicily and Southern France.

His decorations and citations include Distinguished Unit Badge, Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal, and Campaign Medals for European, African and Middle Eastern Campaign.

He also received the Silver Star for valor in an event that took him away from his normal duties keeping airplanes in the air to capturing enemy combatants on the ground.

Henry was actively involved in the VFW in Mina, Nevada, and was post commander for a term. He also served on the Mineral County School Board.

He met his wife of 61 years, Wanda Carla Strazzullo, during his military service in Italy. Their four children – Fredrick Francis Durbin, Jordan Katherine Durbin, Robert Joseph Durbin, and Michael Henry Durbin – have given him 13 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Henry and Wanda’s home has been Carnation, Wash., for many years, although Henry has been in an assisted living facility for the last four.

For as long as he was able, Access would take him daily to the Carnation Senior Center where he and Wanda would have lunch.

The Carnation Senior Center has served as Henry’s home away from home for the last 10 years and as a family extension in every sense.

A memorial service and military burial will be at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, Wash.

An announcement will follow the final arrangements. In lieu of flowers, the family request a donation be made in Henry’s name to Sno-Valley Senior Center in Carnation, P.O. Box 96, Carnation, WA, 98014, or to Mina Care and Share, General Delivery, Mina, Nevada, 89422.