Death of Brother Durr
R.I.P.

Brother Georges Durr, F.M.S., died at St. Francis Xavier's College, Kowloon, on Thursday, 2 April 1987, aged 86. An obituary will appear in our next issue.

10 April 1987

Death of Brother Georges Gabriel Durr, F.M.S.
R.I.P.

Brother Georges Gabriel Victor Durr, FMS, died at St. Francis Xavier’s College, Kowloon, on Thursday, 2 April 1987 aged 86, having spent 69 years as a Marist Brother.

At the Mass of the Resurrection. Brother Konrad Bauer, having sketched Brother Georges’ early life from his birth at Doubs, France, on 16 June 1901, through his entry into the Marist Brothers to his early academic achievements, said in part:

His predilection was the Province of China. He landed in Shanghai on 10 October 1920. As he was a full-fledged teacher he was sent to teach in Hankow and Shanghai in our Franco-Chinese Secondary Schools, for a number of years.

Father Germain of Aurora University, a Jesuit Fathers’ institution, took a great liking to Brother Georges Gabriel and asked the Marist Superior if he could get hold of him. Finally he joined the Aurora University and through hard labour and tenacity he reorganized the Chemistry Department of which he became the Dean, having formed his successor for eventualities that were already written in the sky. When the new masters took over the management in 1952 he left somewhat broken-hearted and went back to France. Being a man of ambition, learning and with a philosophy of his own, he asked father Germain if he could get a bursary to continue his studies at the University of La Sorbonne. With this generous help he entered this Institute of Learning at an advanced age to the amazement of the much younger students who looked at him in astonishment, but being jovial and determined he rubbed the school benches again for a short while and obtained his doctorate Es. Sciences with honours.

He taught in France a few years, but then his Superiors sent him to Lebanon Junieh where he stayed for three years. But the war in Lebanon closed our colleges, they were used as refugee centres, so he packed his bags and landed in Ceylon where he spent seven years teaching his favorite subject, Chemistry, for seven years.

Back in France again but the retiring age had crept up, so he asked the Superiors if he could retire in the Province of China.

He had been teaching in St. Francis Xavier’s College, Kowloon, for a couple of years in the early seventies. His Superiors proposed him to retire in Hong Kong. Being a good religious and wishing to keep himself busy not only with his numerous books, philosophy, history and others, he was assigned to his great satisfaction to become an assistant bursar of minor importance for the College and Community, besides looking after the community purchases. He had special gusto for flowers and kept them well cared for as the surroundings of the College only show bleak walls. He impressed his Confreres with his solid piety, regularity, simplicity and good companionship.

His family name Durr means hard in French, and he was hard on himself but not on his Brothers. He obstinately refused all medical attention and followed the letter of his numerous medical books and pamphlets to the great distress of his Confreres. Being an early riser he maintained his strength and alertness with mutational exercises. But age crept up reduced his hearing capacity considerably. Although annoyed by that fact he bore it stoically as a burden imposed by God.

He was urgently asked to undergo medical examination, but he answered very cynically: Ha! At my age, I leave that in the hand of God.

“The only thing I ask of God not to become senile or a burden to my Brothers. Great Lord take me into your vineyard peacefully and fast when the time has come.”

Having had several spells of fainting in the past, he was certainly prepared for all eventualities. The last one struck him suddenly just before Holy Mass on the 2 April 1987 at half past six just as Rev. Father Collins, S.J. was stepping to the Altar. Father Collins gave him the last Absolution.

17 April 1987