Linda "Sissy" Plott Duren, age 77, of Tuscaloosa, AL, passed away on April 17, 2024, at Hospice of West Alabama surrounded by family. Services will be Saturday April 20th at First Baptist Church Chapel in Tuscaloosa, AL. at 4:30pm. Visitation will be held from 3:00-4:30. Pastor Jason W. Duren will be officiating the service. A Celebration of Life service will be held in Dothan, AL at a later date.
She is preceded in death by her parents, William Hunter Plott and Gloria Pritchett Plott; sister in loves, Terria Wood Plott and Pat Hinton Plott.
She is survived by her former husband and friend Jimmy Duren. Daughter, Elizabeth Duren Barnett, Son, Jason W. Duren, and her daughter in love Kim D. Duren. Brothers, John Plott (Barbara), Jerry Plott, Geoff Plott (Carol) and Bill Plott. 8 grandchildren, Abby & David (Barnett); Calvary, Amelia, Tucker, Josie, and Lilly (Duren). 7 Nephews, Hunter (Tracy), Bobby (Blair), Paxton, Morgan, Harrison, Bill David (Dana) and Hunter Jordan (Mary Katherine) Plott. 4 Nieces, Heather (Scott) Sanders, Haleigh, Katie and Courtney (Plott) Sister in loves Sherry Watts Burrus, Sara Porch, Carol Hickman, Ann Gibson; brother in love Tim Duren.
Linda Plott Duren, "Sissy" was born March 1st, 1947, in Tuscaloosa, AL. She was the daughter of Bill and Gloria Plott and the only sister of 4 brothers. Being the only girl gave way to the name “Sissy” and she gave that name a new meaning…strong, fierce, and loving.
She attended Verner Elementary School, Tuscaloosa Junior High and graduated from Tuscaloosa High School where she was a majorette and a proud member of the Tuscaloosa Black Bear Class of 65. Sissy began her secondary education at Huntington College and graduated from the University of Alabama where she later obtained her Master of Arts in Health and Physical Education.
She began her teaching career in Special Education and retired from Westlawn Middle school after a long and rewarding job as a P.E. coach where she became known and loved by ALL as “Coach Duren”.
Sissy spent her years of retirement in service and travel. She taught domestic violence and anger management education courses at Tutwiler Prison. She also volunteered at The Sunshine Center in Montgomery as a Domestic Violence Prevention Educator, the YMCA in Selma and served as the Executive Director of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of West Alabama in Tuscaloosa. She helped countless students receive their GED at Shelton State and CA Fredd. She loved being a resource parent at Big Oak Girls Ranch in Springville, AL and she spent two summers working at Yellowstone National Park as the Resident Coordinator for the employees. The call to come home and take care of her mother then became her priority. Sissy also enjoyed many trips around the US with her family and nephews and mission trips to Kenya and Israel.
She was a longstanding member of First United Methodist Church of Tuscaloosa and later enjoyed years of service with Church of the Highlands Tuscaloosa before moving to Dothan, AL. While in Dothan, she enjoyed serving alongside her son Jason and his family at Victory Family Church.
Sissy was known for her uncanny ability to clean anything that became known as “Sissy Clean”. Her BEST quality was her love of people. She would talk to anyone with a deep desire to love them where they were and a mission to share the love of Christ by word or deed. She had a gift for making the most broken people feel seen, known, and loved. Sissy embodied Acts 20:35. During the last 7 years of her declining health, Sissy made the medical field her mission field. She left every doctor’s office, hospital, and rehab center with friends who knew she loved them.
We want to specifically thank Dr. John Crew and his staff for their exceptional care and love for our Mom these last 7 years. We also want to thank the entire staff at Hospice of West Alabama and HomeRN for taking care of our Mom with such grace and love the last few days of her life.
In lieu of flowers, please honor our Mom’s love of children and education by investing in the students at Victory Christian School in Dothan, AL. Follow the link below to give.
It is very difficult to sum up a life that was marked by wonder and amazement for those who knew her best. Her genuine, self-sacrificing love for family, friends, and strangers is second to none. To know Sissy was to love Sissy and to know her once was to know her forever. While we mourn the life of an exemplary sister in Christ, Sissy is rejoicing at the words “WELL DONE, MY GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVENT.”
You can give online at www.ilovemyvictory.com/give
Checks can be made payable to Victory Christian School.
Mailing address: 3325 Headland Ave Dothan, AL 36303.
“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” – Act 20:35
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