[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 14141]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   IN HONOR OF MS. DURELL DECKER AGHA

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. SAM FARR

                             of California

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 11, 2015

  Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and memory of 
Durell Decker Agha, a wonderful woman and dear friend who died 
yesterday at the all too young age of 73. Durell was a lifelong 
resident of the Monterey Peninsula and active in local community and 
business activities.
  Born Jan. 31, 1942, Durell grew up, as I did, in Carmel, attending 
Sunset School and Carmel High School. I remember Durell's family, the 
Deckers, fondly. They were always involved in lots of community and 
neighborhood activities. They liked hosting class parties for Durell 
and her friends at their home in the country. Durell's father and 
mother owned a grocery store so food was always plentiful to snack on 
at their house. Durell's brother Paget was a popular community 
activist. One of the kindest acts by Durell's Dad was his offer to 
drive us both up to Salem, Oregon to begin our freshman year in college 
at Willamette University. The home town kids at Willamette--Durell, 
myself and another Peninsula kid, Hillary Teague--always checked in 
with each other. We were each other's family away from home.
  After her first year at Willamette, Durell came back to the Monterey 
area for a short time, before heading off to Europe to travel and 
attend the University of Bordeaux in France. After a year and a half 
abroad, she returned to California and finished college at UCLA, 
earning a bachelor's degree in history, with a concentration in Middle 
East studies.
  Following graduation, she worked at Fourtane Jewelers in Carmel, 
where she was introduced to Nader Agha, shortly after he immigrated to 
the Monterey area from Syria. The two married in 1965. While their 
marriage lasted 17 years, they maintained a lifelong partnership that 
included running various businesses and managing properties together.
  Durell was very proud of her children and loved them dearly. She 
shared great love and rapport with her grandchildren, sharing books of 
antiquity with Kaden and gardening with Jasmine. Her family will always 
remember her very giving and supportive ways, as she always put others 
before herself. Durell enjoyed reading, antiquing with friends and 
family, and jewelry. She had a deep love for the Carmel area and its 
history, which showed in her book and photography collections.
  She is survived by many family members, including three children, 
Mahir Agha of Carmel Valley, Sumaya Agha of Carmel, and Laith Agha of 
Carmel; two grandchildren; sister-in-law Holly Decker; niece Kyle 
Holton; and close family members Nader Agha, Nadia Agha and Fadia 
Alhawach.
  Mr. Speaker, I know that I speak for the whole House in sharing our 
deepest condolences to Durell's family and friends. She was a bright 
light in so many lives, including my own. We will all miss her 
terribly.

                          ____________________