Roll Call Tribute

James Richard "Ricky" Durham 

March 5, 1941 - September 22, 2024 

James Richard (Ricky) Durham, 83, passed away peacefully on Sunday, September 22, 2024, at his home in Cypress, Texas.

Ricky was the eldest of three sons born to the late Emmett Durham and Helen Kate Griffin Durham. He was born in Fort Benning, Georgia on March 5, 1941. As a child he lived on army bases in Georgia, Kentucky, Virginia, Texas and West Germany during his father’s military service and finally settled permanently in Gatesville, Texas near Fort Hood. He was a multi-sport athlete, band member and a class favorite at Gatesville High School where he graduated in 1959 and married his high school sweetheart, Patsy Cohagan.

Ricky went on to attend college at Texas A&M University where he majored in Chemistry. He worked many years for Uvalde Chemical Company in Houston specializing in epoxy compounds. He went on to pursue an education in computer programming. Upon completing his night classes, he then started Credimation Systems in which he provided hardware & software to automate small town credit bureaus. After many years of being self-employed, Ricky finished his professional career at Compaq/HP as a hardware evaluation engineer.

Ricky enjoyed coaching his sons in baseball. As president of Norhill Little League, he was instrumental in getting lights at the neighborhood ballpark so that the league could hold evening games. He also became an umpire to call games that then led to him teaching classes on the rules and regulations. He was an avid reader and greatly enjoyed learning new technologies.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Emmett and Helen, brother John Patrick Durham, former wife, Patsy C Durham, and grandson Matthew Ryan Durham.

Ricky is survived by his and Patsy’s children Mark Durham and wife, Stacy, David Durham and wife, JoAnn, Linda Goff and husband, Norman, Michael Durham and wife, Karen; grandchildren Michael Durham and wife, Stephanye, Jared Durham and husband, EJ, Cameron Goff and wife, Laura, Kyle Durham and wife, Lauren, Kelsey Zeitsman and husband, Craig, Tyler Goff and wife, Lauren, Jason Durham, Lauren Emerson and husband Logan, and Sarah Durham; 8 great-grandchildren: Brooks Goff, James Zeitsman, Luke Goff, Charlotte Goff, Gibson Durham, Kaden Durham, Jack Zeitsman, and Clara Durham; brother, Emmett Wayne Durham.

The family wishes to thank Bayou City Hospice for the gentle care they provided Ricky his last two weeks and to the wonderful caregivers, Cici, Digna and Nina who cared for him daily.