Al was the beloved husband of Donna, loving father to four boys: Craig, Bob, Dave, and Dan, three daughters-in-law: Julie, Carrie, and Alison, as well as proud grandfather of 10 grandsons: Ryan, Josh, Zach, Alex, Ethan, Owen, Travis, Riley, Devin, and Erik. Al is survived by Donna, his sons and their wives, his grandsons, his brother Duane (Barb) and sister Dollie Meyers.
Al was born in Bay City, Michigan, and baptized on April 13, 1941, at Immanuel Lutheran Church. Al made a public proclamation of his Christian faith when he was confirmed on April 11, 1954, in Fort Dodge, Iowa, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church. Al and Donna were united in marriage on June 5, 1966, and recently celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary.
Al joined the United States Air Force in June of 1960, and spent four years serving our country in the United States and Turkey. Following the service, Al earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Iowa State University and subsequently went to work for Iowa-Illinois Gas & Electric which later became MidAmerican Energy. He stayed with the utility his entire career leading the substation division while also earning a masters degree from Iowa State, Professional Engineering license, and U.S. patent.
Al's legacy consists of much more than his professional achievements. One of his greatest accomplishments was providing a loving Christian home for his four boys in partnership with Donna being a living example of Christ's love. Al was blessed with many God-given gifts which he used throughout his life. From serving in the church and community organizations, to coaching his sons' baseball teams, to his incredible woodworking projects, and the ability to fix anything, Al was a selfless servant to anyone who needed help.
In retirement, Al enjoyed spending time with Donna, traveling to watch his grandkids' many activities, and helping his sons with home projects. At the same time, he was able to enjoy playing more golf and had many incredible friends fill out his foursomes. Drawing one of the biggest smiles to his face would be when he had the opportunity to play golf with his sons and win the "Dueker Cup." Al was also extremely passionate about the Cyclones and would watch the football and basketball teams any opportunity he had.
A celebration of Al's life will be held on Friday, June 25, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Davenport. The visitation will be held at 10:00 a.m. followed by the memorial service at 11:00 a.m. Al will be buried with military honors at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery in Van Meter, Iowa. Pallbearers will be Al's 10 grandsons.
Memorials may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church. The memorial service will also be live streamed on Trinity's Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/trinitydavenportia.
We thank God for the incredible gift that Al was to his family and friends.
