Teena Renee
Durham Friend, 46
Teena Renee Durham Friend died quietly in her sleep in the early hours of Tuesday, February 23, 2021 after bravely battling a myriad of medical conditions for several years. Teena was born on January 9, 1975 in Dover, Delaware to Harlan D. Durham and the late, Susan A. Durham.
She attended schools in the Capital School District and was a proud 1993 graduate of Dover High School. While in school, she participated in Cheerleading, Tennis, Student Council, Band, Choir and the Dance Team. During her senior year she was recognized by the National Cheerleading Association as a NCA SuperStar Girl and performed in the Aloha Bowl in Hawaii. Teena always cherished that memory of spending Christmas Eve around a beach bonfire. After graduation, she attended West Chester University in Pennsylvania. While pursuing a degree in Criminal Justice, she was a member of music ensembles and Tau Beta Sigma, a national honorary service and leadership organization, in which she fostered amazing friendships and bonds that have never been broken.
After finishing college a semester early, she married her high school sweetheart, Larry Friend, Jr. and moved to Owings Mills, Md. where Teena began pursuit of a nursing degree at the School of Nursing at Johns Hopkins University. Prior to her completion, she and Larry were blessed by God with their first child, Renee. Placing her studies on hold, she focused her energies on being a wonderful mother to their child. She was so good at it she even opened up an in-home daycare and provided care for several other children. All the while, Teena was serving God at Faith Family Church in Finksburg, Md. She was a member of several choirs, the Children's Ministry and her heart's passion, the Women's Ministry.
After the birth of their second child, Clay, Teena was diagnosed with Stage IV Hodgkin Lymphoma and received treatment at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, Md. She fought with all that she had and tapped into her innate resilience. She spent days upon days in the hospital and yet, never lost hope. In her own "Job-like" moments, she held to God's unchanging hand, leaned on family and friends for support, and solely rested in His sovereignty. What a testimony to God's faithfulness.
After her battle with Cancer, Teena felt called by God to complete her nursing degree. In 2009, she was accepted into the Accelerated Master's Program in the University of Maryland at Baltimore School of Nursing. During her second semester Teena and Larry found out they were expecting their third child. Macy Addison was born in April of 2010 and the next month Teena was awarded her Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in Clinical Nurse Leadership. As Shakespeare said, "Though she be but little, she is fierce".
Teena and the family returned to Delaware in 2011, and Teena accepted a position as a nurse at Bayhealth Hospital in Dover. She worked on the stroke floor and in the Mother/Baby Unit until her own medical issues made it impossible.
Teena is survived by her husband, of 24 years, Larry; their three children, Renee Friend (wife of Nicolas Y. Brown) of Hampton, Va., Clay Jackson Friend, and Macy Addison Friend; her father and hero, Harlan Durham; her sister, Taunja Durham McCoy; a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. She has had the enduring and profoundly intimate friendships of Monica Massimo, Kristina Davis Smith, and Cindy Gosnell.
A viewing will be held from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday evening at Torbert Funeral Chapel South, 1145 E. Lebanon Road (Rt.10), Dover as well as one hour prior to service on Wednesday. A Celebration of Life of services will be held 12 noon Wednesday, March 3, 2021 at Torbert Funeral Chapel South, 1145 E. Lebanon Road (Rt. 10), Dover. Interment will be in Immanuel Union United Methodist Cemetery, Cheswold.
Services will be live streamed on Torbert Funeral Chapel's Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/torbertfuneralchapels
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society www.lls.org
Letters of condolence may be sent and guestbook signed at www.torbertfuneral.com