April Nicole Duenes

April was 5 feet tall – if she had minor lifts in her shoes. She was small in stature but huge in courage and personality.

We don’t have to talk about her struggles, but she fought her health for most of her life without complaint.

She was born 10 years after Erin, and 8 ½ after Meghan and was known fondly as Bears or the Bear. She came in feisty and adorable and made us laugh from the time she was a new baby, a funny toddler, and up in to adulthood.

Despite her struggles, she had a strong work ethic. She was a barista in a tiny coffee window, a server at Sizzler, Chili’s where she made lifelong friends and later on she bartended at Embassy Suites. She met her fiancé Jason when he came to do the carpets at her hotel. She worked at Solita when it opened and was very close to her co-workers. She and Jason started their own business, Dirty Dog Carpet Cleaning. She was very proud to be a business owner and had a happy life with Jason and their 2 dog babies- Zoey and Ivy.

She had enough love for everyone equally. She spent a lot of time hanging out with Mom and Dad. She called Mom daily and chatted about the big stuff and the mundane. She hung out with Dad several times a week, going to breakfast and they could spend hours in Walmart. She was close to both of her sisters, sharing inside jokes and daily antidotes. She was a great listener who never judged.

April was so quick witted. She laughed a lot, and brought joy to those who knew her best and to her customers who came back again and again to see her. She was honest and forthright.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.eternalvalleymortuary.com for the DUENES family.