He was born May 28, 1949 in Flint, Michigan to Pearl and Francis Hall. His family recalls that Mom was somewhat of a miracle regarding Duane. She told the doctor she thought she was pregnant....and he said, “ No …..it must be a tumor.” She had her ovaries removed when I was born...so how could she be pregnant. Medical miracle!
My first recollection of my brother Duane was when he finally came home from the
hospital he was no longer a newborn infant...he was already big. They kept him at the
hospital for a few months..I don't know how many...because he was an RH Negative baby...meaning he bled through his pores, so he was kept in isolation and given a
complete blood transfusion.....the story from my mother and my aunt anyway!!
By the time he was finally at our house, Mom was back to work and Sharon and I were the babysitters...at the ages of 6 and 7 ½. Back then it was ok to leave children home alone, we were told the rules, and we followed them!!!!! Sharon and I had to stand on stools by Duane's crib to pick him up and be able to change his diaper.
As he got older he became the apple of Dad's eye to the extent that HE could do no
wrong...and being a mischievous little boy he frequently would do things he was not
supposed to do....and being his BIG and bossy sisters...we would go tattle to Dad. Duane being the apple of his eye could do no wrong....therefore Sharon and I frequently got into trouble for whatever Duane had done as he would blame it on us!
As time went on...and Sharon and I would always be the babysitters...Sharon being the
oldest took the responsibility very seriously. When Duane was bad...she would send him
to bed with no supper. Being younger...I became his champion and would always sneak him food. When I was a teen...I loved to draw and had several drawings tacked to our bedroom wall. Once...Duane did something that both Sharon and I got after him about and as retaliation for not being his “champion” that time...he ripped my drawings off the wall and tore them up. It was my first inkling of what might be ahead for him. Another time...I was working for a real estate company, and Duane was hired as a 13 year old to
do some yard maintenance etc. for the new office. Next thing my boss and I knew...Duane was driving the company pick-up truck around the office. I didn't know he could even drive. His love of driving helped him become a very good cross country 18 wheel truck driver.
Unfortunately for Duane...I think the constant leeway that Dad gave him...even over
Mom's protests caused the problems Duane got into more and more until he was in
trouble with the law. It took him a few years and some hard lessons to decide that was
not a fun way to live.
Duane went through three wives before he found Nancy, who turned out to be the love
of his life. Nancy's three children, James-better known as JT, Christopher (Chris) and their cute sister Chayne quickly became the children of his heart. Sharon, living in Arizona, had more opportunities to meet those first wives and be around Duane more through those years as I lived too far away and only saw them a couple times.
Duane and Nancy came to Washington a few years before Nancy passed away. I could see such a big change in my brother at that time and I really liked Nancy. We had a really good visit and vowed to stay in touch better. Going forward, we talked to each other at least once a month. Duane was really devastated when Nancy passed away, and I truly believe that was the beginning of his slow decline. He was never quite the same
after that.
When we brought him to Avista, he told me several times he didn't want to live any
more....he just wanted to die...and be with Nancy.
I hope she was there to meet him.
A private celebration of his life will be held by his family.
Arrangements are entrusted to A.L. Moore-Grimshaw Mortuary 710 W. Bethany Home Road Phoenix, AZ 85013
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
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