RENKEN, DUANE ALLEN – (10/31/1932 – 4/12/2022, Ann Arbor, Age 89) On April 12, 2022, while the sound of his children’s voices and family stories filled his room, Duane peacefully passed into eternity with the Lord. Duane was born on the family farm in LeMars, Iowa, on October 31, 1932, and was the only living child of George and Flora Renken. The family moved to Sioux City when Duane was three years old, but the family farm remained a big part of his life. One of his earliest writing assignments included a memorable sentence long quoted by the family: “I am a little farm boy. My name is Duane.” He had rheumatic fever when he was nine years old and was bedridden for many months of recovery. One of his great passions, building model airplanes, took root during this time – baby steps into his lifelong study and exploration in aeronautical engineering. Duane graduated from Sioux City Central High School, the “Castle on the Hill,” where he played baseball (pitcher) and football (offensive line). He had many lifelong friends, including some with whom he attended school from kindergarten all the way through graduation from Iowa State University (from which he graduated with a double major in Aeronautical and Electrical Engineering). At Iowa State, Duane met Kathryn Ohland, the love of his life. He was a member of Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity, where he experienced the joys of brotherhood. He also participated in Air Force ROTC and retired from the United States Air Force, with the rank of Captain, in 1958. Katie and Duane wed on June 16, 1956, and were married for 61 blessed years, until she preceded him in death in 2017. They were charter members of and very involved in their church, St. Luke Lutheran in Ann Arbor, and always engaged in the community – MOST Ministries, The HOPE Clinic, University Lutheran Chapel, and Concordia University. Duane served as a Trustee of the Ann Arbor Public Schools and was a past-Chair of the Michigan State Building Authority. He was an active parent-leader in Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and in Ann Arbor Rec League baseball and was the family’s designated early morning hockey practice driver (fueled by coffee and Amy Joy’s donuts). Duane was a dedicated servant leader, business owner and community investor, and always had a positive outlook on life. He served his church, community and family and built many friendships, coast to coast and internationally. He and Katie loved to travel and saw the world together – and visited many friends and family along the way. Duane’s work at Bendix brought him to Ann Arbor in 1958. Duane was part of the team who designed and tested the moon rover as part of NASA moon explorations in the mid-late 1960s. In 1968, he went into business for himself and thereafter was continuously involved in real estate investment. He was part of many developments and improvements in greater Ann Arbor and throughout the Midwest. Duane loved his family well, and he was cherished and will be sorely missed by those who called him Dad, Uncle Duane or Opa. He is survived by his children, Julie Piazza (James); David Renken (Jamie) and John Renken (Katie); his grandchildren, Justin (Callie), Hannah (Tyler), Christian (Katie), Sarah (Chris), Emma (Nick), Graham, Landon, Lucia, Sam, William, Chloe, Andrew, Sophia, and Nate; two great granddaughters: Rory and Emerson and his nieces, Lynn Stuhr; Ellen Rivas and Gail O’Hea; and his nephew, Eric Stuhr. With family and with friendships, Duane and Katie were expansive with their warmth and hospitality, including grafting George “Huang-Renken” (Denise) and their children, Zachary, and Jordan, into the Renken fold. Due to his deep love for community building, ministry and service, memorial donations may be made to: University Lutheran Chapel http://www.ulcannarbor.org/home.
Duane was a Rotarian in our club from 1987 to 2019. He was awarded Emeritus status and was a Paul Harris Fellow.
Published by Ann Arbor News from Apr. 25 to Apr. 28, 2022.
