Duane Herbert Book

Duane lost both of his parents at the early ages of 2 and 3 and spent the next several years of his life moving around to different relatives. He ended up with his older brother Gailard and family where he attended and graduated from Prairie View High School in Prairie View, Kansas in 1958.

On June 21, 1960, he married his elementary school sweetheart, Lois Leinen at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Portsmouth, Iowa. Duane brought Lois to Panama City, Florida where he was stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base.

In 1963, after his service in the United States Air Force, they moved to Omaha, Nebraska to be closer to family where they purchased their first home and worked at Western Electric. A few years later, they moved to Ardmore, Oklahoma, where Duane pursued his passion for aviation by obtaining his pilot’s license. Later, they moved to Garden City, Kansas as Duane became a flight instructor. In 1974, they went back to work at Western Electric in Colorado where they settled. In 1978, they purchased their forever home on 10 acres in the country where they had lots of farm animals and raised their 4 children.

Duane spent his early years drag racing, camping, hunting, skeet shooting and horseback riding on the horses they boarded.

In 1991, Duane and Lois were fortunate enough to take an early retirement from AT&T at the young age of 50. Duane had his pilot’s license and they spent some time flying in their little Cessna going with fellow aircraft owners on "breakfast runs" in different states and flying to Harlan, Iowa to visit family. After 1 year of retirement, they got more adventurous and Duane obtained his CDL License. They spent the next 10 years hauling loads in their 18 wheel semi all around the country. They would come home weekly and Lois would prepare their meals for the next week so they rarely ate out but always enjoyed Lois' home cooking.

When semi driving no longer became fun, they retired again and bought their first fifth wheel camper. They chose the snowbird life, spending the summers in Colorado and their winters in Yuma, AZ. which they have done for the past 20+ years enjoying golfing, "weenie roasts", Christmas golf cart parades, long ATV rides on their "quads", and 4:00pm happy hours with friends. They've made MANY lifelong friends that live all over the Country including Canada, Minnesota, and Washington State.

On April 21, 2024, at the age of 85, Duane passed peacefully from this life to the next with his wife and 4 children by his side. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brothers: Melvin Book, Gailard Book, twins Ronald and Russell Book and Richard Book. Duane is survived by his wife of 64 years, Lois Book; sister, Eileen Book (Wike); brothers, Donald Book, Wally Book; children, Cindy Book

Hewitt, Brenda (Stacey) Odenbaugh, Dean (Dana) Book, Debi Jo Book-Cass (Roy Haythorn); 9 grandchildren: Zachary, Alyssa, Nathan (Kate), Michelle (Brandon), Michaela (Sam), Jordyn, Peyton, Rylie Jo, Lucas and 5 great grandchildren: Deason, Noah, Brooklyn, Bridget, and Bristol as well as many other relatives and life long, dear friends.