Esmer Durham, Jr.

Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Air Force (Ret.) of Springfield, VA, passed away peacefully at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD on November 30, 2019, surrounded by his family. The eldest son of the late Ruth and Esmer Durham, Sr., he was the valedictorian of DC’s Armstrong HS and a Howard University graduate where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and his ROTC officer commission. He retired from the US Air Force after 28 years of notable and distinguished military service. Bill was a Fall 1979 initiate of the Silver Spring (MD) Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. He was a very active member of the Alexandria-Fairfax (VA) Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. at the time of his passing to the Chapter Invisible. Bill was an active member of a number of charitable organizations including the Optimist International, American Legion Post #176, and he volunteered at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling and the Veteran’s Administration.

He is survived by his sons, Ricardo (Natalie) and Roderick (Taslim) Durham; daughter, Dina Paltoo; grandchildren, Natisha, Ricardo II, Gabrielle, Adrian, Carlisle and Celina; brothers, Carlton, Franklin, and Furman Durham; sister-in-law, Patricia Durham; and a host of nieces, nephews and other family members, friends, colleagues, and fraternity brothers. He was predeceased by his brother, Timothy Durham, and his sister, Elizabeth Banks.