Gerald A. Durkee, 61, of Philadelphia, Pa.

PHILADELPHIA, PA. >> Gerald A. “Gerry” Durkee, 61, of 1900 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Apt 316, formerly of Oneida, passed away on Tuesday, May 9, 2017, at his home after a courageous battle with cancer.

He was born on Jan. 14, 1956, in Oneida, a son of Ronald J. and Jeanne Compoli Durkee. Gerald was a graduate of Oneida High School, class of 1974, and went on to receive his associate’s degree from Morrisville College. After attending NYU for a short time, then he moved to Boston and was employed at Harvard University. He started attending night classes at Harvard and in 1994, he received his bachelor of liberal arts degree from Harvard University graduating cum laude.

For the past 18 years, Gerald lived in Philadelphia after moving from Boston, Mass.

He was employed as the office manager by ESOP Economics in Philadelphia.

Gerald was of the Catholic faith receiving his sacraments from St. Patrick’s Church in Oneida.

He belonged to the Philadelphia Sporting Club where he enjoyed his daily workouts. Gerald loved to travel especially to Florida, Puerto Rico, where he had many dear friends. While in high school, he was a member of the tennis team and the drama club and traveled to El Salvador as an exchange student. He was also a counselor at the Fresh Air Camp in Catskills in his younger years. Surviving besides his parents, Ronald and Jeanne, of Oneida, are his companion, David H. Fuller Jr., and their canine companion, Kamir, of Philadelphia; a sister, Cathleen McLellan and her fiancé, Andrew Neblett, of Ridgefield, Conn.; three brothers, Dean (Lisa) Durkee, of Scottsdale, Ariz., Dennis (Shana) Durkee, of Prosper, Texas, and David (Deresa) Durkee, of Oneida; several beloved nieces, nephews, greatnieces and great-nephews, and many close friends whom he loved.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, June 3, 2017, at 9:30 a.m. at the Ironside Funeral Home, Inc., followed by a Memorial Mass at 10 a.m. at St. Patrick’s Church, 347 Main St., Oneida, where the Rev. Richard J. Kapral will officiate. Entombment will take place in St. Agatha’s Cemetery in Canastota. Family and friends are invited and may call on Friday, June 2, 2017, from 4-7 p.m. at the funeral home, 342 Main St., Oneida. Memorial contributions may be made in Gerald’s memory to the Penn Hospice at Rittenhouse at Penn Medicine Department, Attn: Thomas White, 3535 Market St., Suite 750, Philadelphia, Pa. 19104, or online at: giving.apps.upenn.edu/giving/jsp/fast.do?program=MC&fund=602698&ap peal=PMWEB&bhcp=1 .

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