Pamela O'Connor Durall
Oct 17, 1940 -
Jun 23, 2026
Pamela O'Connor Durall was born on Oct. 17, 1940, in Chester, Pa., to Ruth Bourne and Leo O'Connor. She was the oldest of four children, growing up alongside her beloved brother and sisters, Bill, Sue and Debbie. She graduated from Chester High School in 1958 and earned her nursing degree from Temple University in 1961, where she made lifelong friends with Toni, Judy and Louise.
In 1964, Pam and her best friend, Toni, drove across the country to San Francisco, Calif., where they both found nursing jobs at UCSF Medical Center. Toni remembered Pam as a nurse of great skill and compassion. It was there that Pam met Don Durall, whom she later married. In 1968, they moved to Anchorage, Alaska, where they raised their daughters, Amy and Krissy.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Pam and her family made the most of life in Alaska. Summers were spent at their remote cabin in Skwentna, fishing for salmon and trout, while winters meant cross-country skiing and riding snowmachines. The family also kept a boat in Seward, Alaska, and spent weekends exploring Resurrection Bay with friends and family. They fished, went shrimping, anchored in secluded coves and watched the wildlife—seals, sea lions, puffins, walruses and whales. Alaska offered no shortage of adventure, and those years were filled with time outdoors and memories made together.
Hawaii was another favorite destination. The family often spent Christmas in Maui, escaping Alaska's cold, dark winters for a little sunshine. Summers brought trips back East to visit Pam's family in Pennsylvania. They spent summers in Stone Harbor, N.J., renting houses large enough for the family to gather and enjoy days at the beach and boardwalk, along with time catching up with Pam's siblings, nieces and nephews.
After Pam and Don divorced in 1985, she continued to build her life around her daughters and, eventually, her grandchildren. When both daughters settled in the greater Seattle area, Pam sold her home in Alaska and moved to the Puget Sound region. She bought a cute little house in Bellevue, where she lived from the 1990s into the 2010s. She continued working as a nurse while enjoying more time with her growing family.
In 2017, Pam moved to Merrill Gardens at the University. She enjoyed her cozy apartment, dinners with friends and the many social activities offered by the community.
Pam had many interests and never lacked an opinion. She loved folk music, especially Joan Baez, Bob Dylan and Judy Henske. She played guitar and sang, and she spent many hours playing tennis at the Anchorage Racquet Club. She adored her dogs, Thor, Lucy and Daisy, and loved a good book or a Nora Ephron movie. She was curious about the world and always up for a lively political discussion. She wasn't afraid to speak her mind, but her easygoing nature and good sense of humor made her wonderful company.
Pam was preceded in death by her parents, Ruth and Leo; and brother, William Dessart Mager. She is survived by her daughters, Amy Haroon and Kristin Durall; grandchildren, Leo Haroon, Lucas Haroon, Francis Haroon and Sorcha Marron; great-granddaughter, Alma Haroon; sisters, Susan Keeley and Deborah Mager-Strah; and many nieces and nephews.
She will be deeply missed by her family and friends and lovingly remembered.
