William Allen Durkin

William "Bill" Durkin, 75, passed peacefully on August 26, 2025, surrounded by his wife, Jessie, and children, Andrew Durkin and Doria Lynch. Bill was a devoted and loving husband and father above all else. He was also a master of puns, proud veteran and public servant, loyal brother, and cherished friend. Born on September 19, 1949, in Detroit, Michigan, Bill overcame a challenging childhood and family situation. As a boy growing up in the Herman Gardens housing projects, he played jokes on his friends and did his best to guide and protect his siblings. He knew from a young age that he wanted a better future for himself and began working to achieve that goal early on. Despite his reputation as a "chick magnet" as a teenager, Bill had only one true love – his wife of 56 years. Though they were classmates at Cody High School in Detroit, Bill didn't cross paths with Jessie Vianueva until their graduation day in 1967. A group trip to the beach provided the first spark, and Bill tried a few times over the following months to leave a message for Jessie at her home (Mr. Vianueva apparently wasn't inclined to pass those messages along to his eldest daughter). Fate intervened later that year, when Bill spotted Jessie at a department store while Christmas shopping. They went out for dinner and a movie the following night and were inseparable after that. Bill voluntarily enlisted in the United States Army in 1968 and was assigned to artillery school following basic training. He and Jessie were married on December 21, 1968, when Bill was on a brief military leave. Fully expecting to be sent to Vietnam, Bill and Jessie were surprised when his orders came through – those with last names starting with letters A through D were sent to Germany; the rest were sent to Vietnam. Bill served his time in the Army with dignity and was honorably discharged upon completion of his service. He wore his Cold War Veteran hat proudly and regularly thanked every veteran he encountered for their service. After returning from Germany, Bill worked at General Motors World Headquarters in Detroit; however, his dream from the age of 14 or so was to be a Detroit Police Officer. He joined Recruit Class 77-B and was appointed as a police officer in March 1977. His service was highlighted by numerous commendations, some close calls, and unfortunately, a series of back injuries that led to his duty disability retirement in 1984. Despite his relatively short tenure on the force, his career in law enforcement was a source of immense pride that Bill carried through the rest of his life. After spending a few years as, in his words, "Mr. Mom" to Andy and Dori, Bill obtained his private investigator license and established A&D Investigations. He built a successful home-based business and loved his work, his colleagues, and helping people. His 30 years as a PI brought him a lot of satisfaction and too many stories to recount, but many involved laughter and a few choice words. Outside of time spent with his family and on his work, Bill loved making friends and talking to people – neighbors, bank tellers, pharmacists, florists, lifeguards, postal clerks, police officers, nurses, receptionists – pretty much everyone he encountered in his day-to-day life. One of his catchphrases was "It's easy to be nice!" and he spread kindness wherever he went. He also loved making people laugh and could often be heard to say, "Gotta have fun!" Over the last few years Bill retained his sense of humor while struggling against the pulmonary fibrosis that ultimately took his life. He had his hospice nurses in stitches, and even on his very last day was teasing his family and making people laugh. He was his true self until the very end. Bill is survived by his wife, Jessie, son Andrew Durkin (Kim), and daughter Doria Lynch (Denis). He also leaves behind his siblings, numerous friends, and a pet parakeet that he absolutely adored. A private service will take place at Crown Hill National Cemetery Annex in Indianapolis. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to The Gary Sinise Foundation, https://www.garysinisefoundation.org/, or Every Dog Counts Rescue, mail to EDCR, PO Box 24786, Indianapolis, IN 46224.

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William Allen Durkin

September 19, 1949 - August 26, 2025