By William Croyle
Enquirer contributor

R.C. Durr is one of Northern Kentucky's best-known philanthropists. Here, he's with one of the thoroughbred horses on his Richwood farm. The Cincinnati Enquirer/PATRICK REDDY

FLORENCE - At 84 years old, R.C. Durr admits he thinks about his mortality more often now - but that hasn't slowed him down. His desire to face a difficult challenge or try something new is still alive.

"I have that feeling every day," he said fervently. "I really do."

Durr has survived two heart bypass and three cancer surgeries. He's a newlywed, works every day at his Florence office, exercises four times a week and sleeps about seven hours a day, if time permits.

He's one of Northern Kentucky's most well known and respected sons - and one of its wealthiest. Durr has built a multimillion-dollar fortune few can match. But he says the money means little to him, other than being able to give it to people who need it.

From farm to streets

Robert Charles Durr was born May 14, 1919, in Atwood, Ky., the youngest of two children of Steve and Carrie Durr. The family farmed for a living, but it was a life Durr steered away from as he got older.

"I would have probably done it if I could have made money, but it wasn't too inviting," he said. "We were poor. We had enough to eat, but it wasn't always that plentiful."

After graduating from Independence School in 1939, Durr got a job at Newport Steel.

"I made 50 cents an hour," he said. "I won't ever forget that. It was labor work all day."

Over the next several years, Durr:

• Ran a general store in Nicholson with his brother.

• Drove a farm supply truck for $12 a week.

• Was drafted by the Army, but was discharged six months later because of ulcers.

• Sharpened tools at Wright Air Nautical.

• Worked at General Motors.

In 1945 he bought three trucks, borrowing money from "whatever bank would loan it to me." He hauled limestone to farmers and blacktopped driveways.

"From that point on, he went fast," said his brother, William, 87, of Nicholson. "He was pretty determined and listened a lot. And not much scared him."

DURR FILE

• Born: May 14, 1919, in Atwood, Ky. • Graduated: Independence School in 1939. • Residence: 193-acre farm in Richwood. • Career: In 1950, started R.C. Durr Company (grading and draining roads, mining coal and building railroads); in 1970, entered horse industry (buying, selling and racing thoroughbreds); one of the founders of Boone State Bank (now Fifth Third Bank) and Bank of Kentucky; in 1993, founded R.C. Durr Foundation. • Memberships: Served on Kentucky Racing Commission; past president of Kentucky Association of Highway Contractors and past president of Kentucky Road Builders Association; serves on NKU Foundation Board of Directors.

In 1950, Durr focused on road maintenance - grading land and installing drains. His first job was Frogtown Road in Boone County. After that, the work never stopped.

The R.C. Durr Co. would build more than 300 miles of roads over the next 35 years, including large chunks of Interstate 75 in Kentucky. The company also built railroads and mined coal. Sales topped $20 million a year.

"Seventy-five percent of our competitors went broke," said Durr. "We saved our money and had all the good workers."

In the mid-1980s, Durr left the road maintenance business and sold his equipment to his chief engineer and vice president, Dick Crist. Durr and Crist still work together developing commercial property.

Land, banks and horses

Durr estimates he's bought 2,000 acres of land, which he's held, sold or built on.

"I've sold a lot of land," he said. "It's been the best of all my investments."

That's saying a lot considering his investments in local banks. He owned stock in Covington Trust and was a founder of Boone State Bank. They were later sold to Huntington and Fifth Third banks, respectively.

At the Bank of Kentucky, which he founded with partners Bob Zapp and Biz Cain, records show that Durr owned 926,774 shares of stock in the company in January.

The stock closed Friday at $31 a share, making his stake worth $28.7 million.

"He's got common sense beyond anybody else's," said Zapp, who worked on a road crew for Durr as a teenager in 1969. "He really understands people and has a knack of surrounding himself with good people in whatever he does."

Durr has also been in the horse business since 1970. He buys, sells, and races them with his partner, George Budig, on farms in Richwood, Lexington and Florida, and at all Kentucky racetracks.

"It's great when you win a race and horrible when you lose one," said Durr, who once served on the Kentucky Racing Commission. "But it's been pretty profitable. I've sold some real expensive horses."

His philosophy on investing is the same as his philosophy on just about everything he does: "If it looks good, I do it."

Durr met Katherine Ballinger at a skating rink in Falmouth in 1941 and married her in 1946. They lived in Independence for 10 years, then on Dudley Road in Kenton County for 25 years. From there they moved to a 350-acre farm in Richwood. They sold it in 1991 and bought a 193-acre farm down the road. They had no children.

Katherine died in an upstairs fire at their home in 1992. Durr was at a job about 9:30 that morning when he got the news.

"We never found out what caused it," Durr said.

Durr remarried in September last year. He met his wife, Deborah Jo, at church five years ago. They live in the same home Durr has lived in for 12 years.

Durr spends his free time mowing the grass, reading, talking with friends and sitting outside in the summer.

His work week is focused on his commercial development projects and horses. And, of course, answering requests for money.

Politics and philanthropy

Durr has given to many Democrat and Republican campaigns over the years, always getting to know the candidates first. He's a registered Democrat, but says he often votes Republican.

The main recipients of his money, though, are small charities and non-profit organizations who need help. He set up the R.C. Durr Foundation in 1993. In 2000, the foundation ranked as one of Kentucky's top 50 in total giving.

"He's very, very generous," said Boone County Commissioner and St. Vincent DePaul Pharmacy vice chairwoman Cathy Flaig, who has received donations from him for her campaign and for the pharmacy.

"From giving to local candidates to giving to local charities, he's always helping others."

Durr has no idea how much money he's given away, and won't talk about to whom he has given. But it's easier to find an organization in the area that has benefited from his generosity than it is to find one that hasn't.

"A lot of it goes to little places, not too many big ones," he said.

And he prefers to do it without recognition. Crist said Durr once built an athletic field at Thomas More College that the school eventually tore down to construct a building. Durr built them another one, only to have that one also razed.

Feeling remiss, the school told Durr the next time they asked him to build a field, they'd name it after him.

"He said, 'If you do, I'll never build you another field again,' " Crist said.

The new YMCA under construction in Boone County will be named after him, only because "they pushed a little harder," Durr said. It will be the only structure named for a man who wouldn't even put his name on his company trucks.

"People have always wanted to, but I wouldn't let them do it. That's just the way I've always been," he said.

When he reflects on his life, Durr gives himself very little credit for his success.

"I've had more luck than sense. So many people have been so good to me, and Lord knows I've needed a lot of help," he said.

"I just try to be as good to my fellow man as I can and have love for other people. That's something I do have."

E-mail williamcroyle@yahoo.com