Dr. James Patrick Durkin

DURKIN II, JAMES

James Patrick Durkin II passed away on September 25, 2020. We miss him greatly but are grateful for our full and rewarding years with him and sad for the loss of more time together. Still, he often said he had a fantastic life, a great family, and lacked for nothing.

Jim was born on August 12, 1943, in Washington, D.C., graduated from Catholic University and received his M.D. degree from Georgetown University. He practiced adult and child psychiatry in Northern Virginia and later in the Atlanta area. We remember fondly his flexible work schedule that let him pull his children away from their summer vacation video game sessions in order to take the kids on adventures throughout Georgia.
 
We remember Jim as generous, free-thinking, and gregarious. He would always talk to strangers and always be the first to volunteer to hold your baby. He played golf on Christmas day. He sang idly to himself. He loved reading romance novels, often while on a long walk. We learned from Jim to give proactively: not to wait for someone to ask, but to anticipate their needs and offer to help. He regularly offered money, food, housing, or assistance to family members or strangers. It was a kind of empathy that came to him naturally, and we try our best to emulate him.
 
Jim was our Renaissance man. He went both to medical school and to cosmetology school, thus both treating and cutting the hair of the disadvantaged. He was a vegetarian who painted, played guitar, and raised pigeons. He spoke Spanish, did birdwatching, and was a skilled ham radio operator. He loved studying and learning, but also physical activity, enjoying his elliptical bike, climbing Stone Mountain, swimming, and taking long walks in his neighborhood, where he befriended many of his neighbors. He closely followed current events, especially political and financial news, and loved to engage in discussions about these topics.

Jim is survived by his wife, psychiatrist Constance McKee; his sons, James and Craig Durkin, his grandson, Sean Durkin; his siblings Carol Dunne, Jerome Durkin, Brian Durkin, and Gina Balseca; and by numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. A virtual memorial service will be held at noon on 10/17/20 EDT. Email cjmckee71@hotmail.com for link. Donations in his memory may be made to Craig’s non-profit for the food insecure: www.concrete-jungle.org.

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