Terry Durr served at W.T. White for 10 years. (Courtesy photo)
Terry Durr was a big guy, standing at least 6 feet tall. But the soft-spoken W.T. White assistant principal worked quietly behind the scenes, mentoring ninth graders as they transition to high school.
“Some of the students don’t even know how much he helped them,” counselor Jeri Bechly says. He often dipped into his own pockets to help someone pay for a cap and gown or other school necessities.
Durr passed away in his sleep early Friday morning after having been ill for several months. He had worked with W.T. White for about 10 years, and there’s no doubt that he had a big impact on the students.
Take Abraham Alvardo for example. I recently interviewed the W.T. White senior for our cover story about stand-out students (which will hit stands and doorknobs this May). Alvardo suffers from Tourrette’s Syndrome and credited Durr as one of the people who helped him manage and overcome his condition in order to succeed in school. As a freshman, Alvardo needed frequent guidance and supervision, and Durr was there for him.
“Mr. Durr helped me out a lot,” Alvardo says. “I don’t know what I would have done without him.”
A scholarship will be set up in Durr’s memory, and the W.T. White staff has invited students, parents and community members to mail donations to Laura Holaday, W. T. White High School, 4505 Ridgeside Drive, Dallas, Texas 75244. The funeral or memorial service has not yet bet scheduled.
