LYNN — For those who prefer a peanut butter and fluff sandwich for lunch, there’s one name that has since become synonymous with the iconic treat: Durkee.
The man behind the name — Donald D. Durkee, who died at the age of 100 in early November — has carved out a local legacy for the family that’s hard to beat. He served as president of Durkee-Mower, the manufacturing company behind Marshmallow Fluff, from the mid-70s to 2019, before retiring at the age of 94.
The history of fluff traces all the way back to 1917. Archibald Query, of Somerville, was making it in his kitchen and selling it door to door, though he was forced to shut down the operation due to wartime shortages, according to the company’s website. Two men, H. Allen Durkee (Donald’s father) and Fred L. Mower, both graduates of Swampscott High and World War I veterans, then bought the formula and promptly formed a partnership.
When he wasn’t busy running the company, he was an avid skier, sailor, golfer, and longtime member of Tedesco Country Club. Those who knew him best shared the warmth and compassion he gave to everyone he encountered.
His son, Jonathan Durkee, current president of Durkee-Mower, talked about his childhood.
“It wasn’t that big a deal at the time. I think it was a bigger deal now than it was 50 years ago while I was growing up,” Jonathan Durkee said. “We had a normal childhood. I don’t think it was brought up that much.”
He described Durkee as a great father whom he loved dearly, noting that he was always there for his family.
“He was my hero growing up, who I wanted to be — which is why I ended up where I am right now — I owe everything to him, and I miss him a lot,” he said.
He described his parents as having a very good marriage which lasted for 62 years, and he added that the both of them “had a ton of friends.”
“It was the largest social group of friends that I’ve ever known, and he outlived them all, for the most part… That was tough for him, watching his friends pass,” he said. “He loved them all dearly.”
Durkee was a father who didn’t bring his work home, and while president, he worked to help the company grow. Over the years, he explained the company has received lots of offers from larger organizations, but they resisted, wanting to keep it a small family business.
“We made a product that became iconic in the history of food, and I’m proud to be associated with it,” Jonathan Durkee said. “It means a lot to me.”
Longtime friend Chris Drucas, who first met Durkee as a caddy at Tedesco Country Club, also shared that sentiment.
“I was a caddy in Tedesco back in the early ’60s. He was a member that I caddied for along with his brother Bruce. Don (Durkee) was a quiet guy, always had a smile on his face. He was very pleasant, and he was a great golfer… And he continued to play golf all the way up to several years ago,” Drucas said. “His brother Bruce wasn’t as interested in running the business after his father died as Don was, so Bruce was bought out by Don, who took over running the business. Eventually, he turned it over to his son Jonathan.”
Drucas said he actively attended Lynn community events, where he served on various committees and made donations to different organizations in the city.
“He was just a really nice guy. He used to come to Tedesco to hang out with us in the winter months… We’d talk, tell stories, and he was always really engaged in the conversations. He became like one of the regular guys,” Drucas said.
Bob Green, a member and former employee of Tedesco Country Club, also spoke of his relationship with Durkee.
“I started working at Tedesco in 1970, and Don was one of the iconic members. He was always involved in the club, he had been there for a long time, as well as his brother Bruce… They were a part of that group when I joined the staff, and (were) very instrumental in welcoming me and making me feel welcomed,” Green said.
He continued, describing Durkee as “a very straight shooter.”
“He spoke directly to you, and if he had any questions, he’d ask you directly. Whatever he told you, you knew you could count on it,” Green said. “He gave great advice whenever I asked him anything… He was one of those very few members that was there when I started at Tedesco.”
Green said he was there for 49 years, and throughout that time, Durkee was “constantly there and always sharp (and) insightful of what the club should be, what direction it should go in.”
Green noted that as a child, he had a fluff sandwich every day in elementary school, saying it was a staple in his household while he was growing up.
“When I got to meet Don (Durkee) — who I later found out was Marshmallow Fluff in a sense — I said, ‘Wow. This is great. I know the person who was responsible for my lunch every day from second grade to the sixth,” Green said. “It really is a great legacy.”
Green emphasized that Durkee didn’t make his family’s legacy well known when he was amongst his friends.
“If you didn’t know it from somebody else, you wouldn’t know it from Mr. Durkee. He just didn’t bring work to the club… When he came to the club, he was a Tedesco member who loved it tremendously, not the president of a company. He wanted the best for the club in all ways, at all times,” Green said.
Green explained that he retired back in 2019. When he visited Tedesco, he saw Durkee driving around in a cart following a game of golf.
“We had a conversation about the tournament that was going on at the time, and I was amazed at how sharp he still was in his 90s… By looking at him and listening to him talk, you wouldn’t have guessed it,” Green said. “He was remarkable in his health and activities, and his love for Tedesco was always there.”
A friend of Durkee’s, Janet Griffin, said, “Don was a true gentleman: kind, thoughtful, and a wonderful storyteller. He will be truly missed by all those who had the pleasure to know him”
