Alan Frankin Durfee

Alan Durfee, a beloved father, passed away peacefully on December 5, 2024, at the age of 94. Born on February 28, 1930, Alan was the cherished son of the late Franklin J. and Dorothy (McElhiney) Durfee. In 1950, Alan married Sarabelle McKay, also of Lakeland, Florida, who passed away in 2010. Alan and Sara were blessed with two children, Deborah and Lisa.

Alan graduated from Lakeland High School in 1948 and went on to earn a baccalaureate degree in Electrical Engineering from Georgia Tech in 1952 with the support of his loving wife. His career spanned over four decades, the bulk of which was with RCA during which he made significant contributions in support of the NASA Space Program in communications engineering. He was cited for his support of the Department of Defense during the Apollo XI mission, the first manned lunar landing flight. He played an important role in flight safety with his work on the command destruct system and his engineering expertise was critical to the overall safety of rocket launches on the east coast from the the earliest days of space flight through the Apollo then Space Shuttle flights.

Alan enjoyed tinkering, building and repairing electronics, TVs, computers, redesigning things to work better than the original. He was a lifelong learner, constantly seeking knowledge and sharing his wisdom with others. He should have been a teacher, as his wife always said.

Alan is survived by his daughters, Deborah Menichino (Tom) and Lisa Donnelly (Kevin). He is also survived by his well-loved kitty, Snoopy, aka Goofy. He also leaves a dedicated group of CNAs/home health aides who cared for him so well in his final year including Claudette, Gaelle, Julie, and Alexandra, all of whom he was deeply appreciative of. Alan was also well supported by Hospice of Marion County, especially Lori, RN and Michael, MSW.

A memorial service will be held graveside at Oak Hill Burial Park in Lakeland, Florida where he will be laid to rest. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to St. Jude's Hospital or your local Hospice in Alan's memory. He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.