Duane Ray Dukes, age 70, of Bryan, Ohio, passed away on Sunday, December 27, 2020, in his home, surrounded by family, following a ten-month battle with cancer. A devoted husband and grandfather, Duane was born on May 1, 1950, in South Gate, California, the son of Edwin and Florann (Boisseau) Dukes. On March 1, 1969, he met Sandra Hageman on a blind date and they wed on October 11, 1969, and recently celebrated their 51st wedding anniversary.
Surviving Duane are his wife, Sandra; two daughters, Michelle (Tim) Peterson, of South Bend, Indiana, and Tara (Robert) Chase, of Defiance, Ohio; his grandchildren, Alex, Olivia, Kloee, Morgan, Joni, Amanda, and Elizabeth; his brothers, Bruce (Dianne) Dukes, of Continental, Ohio, and Brian (Dana) Dukes, of Leipsic, Ohio; half brothers and sisters, Sheila Phillips, Helen Hall, and Larry, Herb, and Smitty Hurley. He was preceded in death by his parents; one son, Matthew; a grandson, Reuben Chase; a sister, Joyce Krentz; and a half brother, Jim Hurley.
Duane was a 1968 graduate of Continental High School and worked for GM Powertrain in Defiance for thirty years, retiring in 1998. He enjoyed attending craft shows with Sandy, as well as creating personalized wood gifts for friends and family; his legacy will live on through his passion of woodworking. Duane and Sandy enjoyed traveling throughout the United States, with their favorite spot being Gatlinburg, Tennessee, where they traveled frequently. They loved to drive through the mountains looking at God’s beauty.
Duane became a devout Christian at a Bob Harrington Crusade on April 24, 1975. He attended Union Chapel Church of God in Bryan for many years and Eastland Baptist Church for the past eight years, where he became a Deacon of the church in 2016. He also loved to attend his grandchildren’s sports games and programs and he was a passionate fan of THE Ohio State Buckeyes and the New York Yankees.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, December 30, 2020, from 12:00-2:00 P.M. in the Krill Funeral Home, 860 West Mulberry Street, Bryan. Services will follow at 2:00 P.M. in the Krill Funeral Home, Bryan, with Pastor Jeff Sheldon and Pastor Dennis Jones officiating. Interment will be in Fountain Grove Cemetery, Bryan.
Due to the ongoing pandemic restrictions, the family will receive friends while observing social distancing precautions. The family requires visitors to use masks in accordance with state mandates. Anyone showing any symptoms of illness is asked to please share condolences by a phone call, email, text message, or leaving a condolence at the funeral home website.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are requested to Union Chapel Church of God or Eastland Baptist Church.
