Duryea Ronnise Holley

The name Duryea has a few meanings. One of which is "always active”. Those of us who loved and knew her would agree with the meaning. Those who were close to her affectionally knick named her Dew. 

Dew became a member of the International organization Toast Masters through Boaz and Ruth where she spoke and encouraged youth to not only have goals but to pursue them as well. Boaz and Ruth was a big part of Duryea’s life. There she honed skills in technology as well as construction and as a motivational speaker. 

 Once she was invited to give a presentation at the University of Richmond. Her experiences were so motivating that her story was also to appear in the local newspaper. 

 Dew was a person who was always in demand because of her caring, compassionate and nurturing traits. In fact when Duryea was only 11 years old those qualities were noticed by her great-maternal- grandmother who proclaimed Dew had the calling to be a nurse! 

 Over the years her affinity for caring for others was well known and cherished by her family. She in fact was the one to help care for two of her aunts before their passing. Her grandfather actually requested that she return to NYC to help care for him during his final days. 

 Dew’s resume is diversified. Like her mother and family she loved learning. She lived and worked in New York, Kentucky and Virginia. However, she always considered herself a native New Yorker. 

 For a few years Duryea worked in a warehouse with an array of responsibilities from taking orders and eventually actually maintaining and operating equipment at the warehouse. 

 However her true calling beckoned her, which was a caregiver. Therefore she studied to become an official home health care aid whose responsibilities ranged from observing mental and physical condition of patients to helping family members take care of loved ones, teaching patients self care and maintaining a safe and secure environment for patients. 

 Duryea carried out such duties both in nursing care facilities and in private settings until her own health took a turn. She was diagnosed with a complicated heart disease. However that didn't stop the woman whose name means "active one" to throw her hands up and stand still! 

 Duryea cooked like an old soul while still a child. Duryea brought the south to the north every time, with her famous southern dishes especially her “HOT WATER CORNBREAD”. Duryea loved her FAMILY. She cooked, braided hair and crocheted her spare time.  There are not enough words to fully describe our Dew. 

 Duryea had two loving daughters; Cheyenne and Zharia Holley. She leaves behind her grandson Darnell Sullivan Jr, mother Dolores Parson, siblings Shamar Holley, Jareem Parson, Mattaniah Yip and Robyn Holley, grandmother Mattie Pettiford, Uncle Steve Moore, Aunt Veronica Moore, Aunt Shirley Neville, Aunt Gale Griffin and host of other loving family members.