Durrell E. Conner, 98, passed away December 22 at his home in Carlsbad. He was born Sept. 12, 1918 on a claim in Quay, New Mexico, 20 miles south of Tucumcari, to Joel and Julia Conner. At the age of 4, Durrell moved to the Long Beach area. Several years later, he would move to the Leucadia/Encinitas location where he attended elementary school, and traveling back and forth by bus, graduated from Oceanside High School in 1936. Two years after graduation, Durrell joined the United States Navy, saying when the U.S. became involved in the war, he didn't want to fight from a foxhole. His basic training was accomplished in San Diego before he was stationed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. On Dec. 7, 1941, Durrell was aboard the battleship U.S.S. California when the attack on the United States occurred. Fortunately, he suffered no injuries, but lost many of his shipmates that day. As a Pearl Harbor survivor, Durrell has made 3 or 4 trips back to Hawaii to board the Arizona and the Missouri on Dec. 7 th when the various memorials are being held throughout the city and harbor of Honolulu. Leaving the Navy for several years, he met and married Mahala, the mother of his 3 daughters, Kathy of Erie, Colorado, Mary of Sun City, and Julia of Pohoa, Hawaii. Recalled to service due to the Korean Conflict, Durrell would rejoin the Navy and be assigned to several stations around the world including Japan, Guam and Washington D.C. Durrell retired as a Chief Petty Officer from the Navy in 1962, having proudly served 30 years in the service of his country. The family moved to northern California where they happily settled into the land of Big Trees and outdoor country living. In 2004, Durrell moved back to southern California and enjoyed the golf courses around Sun City. He has always been a faithful and active member in his LDS church also. Durrell also joined the PHSA (Pearl Harbor Survivors Association) enjoying the fellowship of other veterans who had experienced the same action as Durrell on that most famous Sunday morning decades earlier. The memberships have also been declining as PHSA survivors entered their 90's. The Tri-City chapter closed in Dec. 2014, but a few WWII veterans and their wives still meet on the 2nd Tuesday of each month for lunch, Durrell and his wife, Peggy, included. Durrell is survived by his wife, Peggy, 3 daughters, Kathy, Mary and Julia, 5 grandchidren, 5 great grandchildren, and 1 great great grandchild who made 5 generations of Conners.