At the age of 16 Duane moved to Tygh Valley, Oregon where he would meet the love of his life, Barbara Coburn. In June 1959, Duane and Barbara married in the small town of Maupin, Oregon. Duane and Barbara made a home in Portland and would later have two
children, a son Skipper and daughter Kristin.
After Duane became a licensed electrician, he and a friend started their own companies, Frontier Electric and D & M Investments. In 1970 Duane moved his family to 17 acres in Estacada where they lived for 23 years. Duane and Barb always knew that one day they would return ‘home’ to Tygh Valley so in 1977 they purchased 100 acres to build a retirement home on after they retired.
Duane is preceded in death by his son Skipper, his sister Delores and nephew Eddie. He is survived by his three cherished granddaughters, Haylee (Eide) Wagner, Sophia Kawata, and Alyssa Kawata of Happy Valley; his sister and brother-in-law, Chris and Ed Coburn of Tygh Valley; his sister Juanita (Ron) of Vancouver, sister Sharon of Vancouver and several nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Duane will fondly be remembered by family and friends as a man of few words, disciplined, well respected, an adventurer; someone who believed you could do anything you put your mind to; a patriot and a Cowboy.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Lincoln Memorial Park and Funeral Home, 11801 SE Mt Scott Blvd, Happy Valley on Saturday, Nov 23rd at 1 PM. Duane will be laid to rest with his son at Willamette National Cemetery.
Should family and friends desire, donations can sent to Tygh School Community Center (or a charity of your choosing) where he volunteered his time every week to help raise money for the nonprofit organization.
Tygh School Community Center Inc
In care of Joy Gabel
PO Box 111
Tygh Valley OR 97063
