Jeffrey Lee Durant

Age 67, of Blaine, passed away peacefully with loving family at his side on November 15, 2020, after a three- week battle with Covid 19.

Jeff was born September 10, 1953, to Earl and Lucy Durant and spent his youth in Dayton, Minnesota. 

He graduated from Elk River High School in 1971.  Jeff was an extremely gifted athlete, enjoying all sports and excelled in all, especially baseball, softball and football, winning a men’s league State Championship as its quarterback.  He achieved high awards such as All Conference in baseball and lettering in both baseball and football.  As a gifted athlete, he was the most recruited, highest rated catcher in the State. After high school, he attended St. Cloud State College on a full baseball scholarship and was soon scouted by the University of Minnesota Gophers and invited to the Pittsburgh Pirates training camp.  He also loved playing broomball and proud of his team achieving in 1976 the World Broomball Championship title.  His love of participating in sports continued as a team member for several years.  In later years, he loved coaching his grandson’s football team and especially enjoyed the interaction with the young players.

Jeff was driven to excel in any endeavor he pursued.   In 2003, Jeff, along with partner Tim Christopherson, formed CD Tile and Stone, which became the largest commercial tile company in the upper Midwest.  Almost any mall floor in the Twin Cities, half the stadiums, casinos, large high-rise/condo projects, hotels, hospitals, schools, retail facilities—his people tiled them.  Jeff had a brilliant mind for business.  He loved being a business owner and entrepreneur and considered his employees his family.  Jeff’s secret to success was his people--many with him over 30 years.  Loyalty was earned, honesty expected and the door was always open to any of “his people”.  He always said he had the best and they made him proud.

Jeff’s generosity and big heart helped so many within his family, his tile company family and friends. When he heard someone was ill, he did all he could to offer help.  He always asked himself-- “Have I Done Enough?”

He enjoyed sitting on the front porch with his wife, Barb, listening to Elvis and Dean Martin and had an uncanny ability to remember words to so many songs.  He was a remarkable storyteller and enjoyed making up elaborate stories as his grandchildren sat on his lap at young ages begging for more.  Travel and lake vacations were looked forward to several times a year—usually having the kids and grandkids join them.  He took tremendous pride in being able to support and sponsor his grandchildren in their motorcycle racing competitions.  He loved his family with the same passion and fire he gave to everything. 

Jeff was preceded in death by his father, Earl; father-in-law, Dick, and mother-in-law, Jo Huey.  Jeff is survived by Barb, his loving wife and special partner of 30 years.  He is also survived by sons, Mike (Terri) Reschke; Scott Reschke; grandchildren Colton and Cora (his “Baby Cakes”) Reschke; mother Lucy; siblings Steve (Debbie); Rick; Don; and Daneen (Dan) Graham; nephew/godson Luke Graham and niece Geena (Julian, Julius, Carter) Castonguay; sister-in-law Donna (Bill) Dunlap, along with many other uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family members.

Due to Covid restrictions, a private family service and burial will be held November 20, 2020, in Dayton, Minnesota, with a celebration of Jeff’s life with family and friends in summer of 2021. In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred in Jeff’s name to Source Mn, PO Box 8212, Mpls, MN 55408, or at Sourcemn.org/donate.