J. Duane Mortensen, 96
December 3, 1927 — October 9, 2024
Duane Mortensen (96) of Lawrence, Kansas, passed away on October 9, 2024, in Lawrence. He was born on a farm near Royal, lowa, on December 3, 1927, the third son of John and Ella Mortensen. He was a kind and generous man who was always curious about others and the world, a true gentleman, an avid reader and sports fan, and proud of his Danish heritage. He was actively involved in his church, the community and most of all enjoyed spending time with family and friends sharing good food and many laughs together.
He attended country schools as a child then graduated as valedictorian from Royal High School in 1945. He was a bookkeeper for Hale Grain Co. in Royal for 18 months (plus driving a school bus), prior to serving in the U.S. Army of Occupation in Seoul, Korea until 1948. Under the G.I. Bill, he attended the University of lowa and graduated with a B.S. in Commerce in 1952.
Duane was active in the Lutheran campus ministry in Cedar Falls, Iowa, where he met his future wife in 1953, Audrey Mortvedt, who was serving as Lutheran Counselor to Students. They were married in Dell Rapids, SD, on Oct. 16, 1955, and had three children, Mary, Ruth and Neal. Family summer road trips included visiting 47 states and Canada, touring most state capitols and attending as many baseball games as possible featuring his beloved Pittsburgh Pirates.
He was an accountant at the John Deere Waterloo Tractor Works from 1952-1963 and worked at the John Deere Dubuque Works as Plant Controller from 1963 until his retirement in 1982. Duane served as president of the Dubuque Industrial Bureau and on the boards of the Dubuque Savings and Loan, the Dubuque Chamber of Commerce, the United Way, the lowa Taxpayers’ Association and the Governor’s Commission on Judicial Compensation. He served on the board of Aquinas Institute in Dubuque and also as president of the Dubuque Library Board and was active in the politics. He and Audrey received the Distinguished Civic Service Award from the Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce in 1975. He also served on many congregational and area leadership positions in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.
He served as Business Manager of Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque from 1982-1987, then he, and his wife Audrey, retired to Springfield, MO, living there until 1999. They enjoyed spending time in the Ozarks, where they had spent their honeymoon. They then spent 11 years in Columbia, MO and moved to Lawrence, KS in 2010 into a duplex at Lawrence Presbyterian Manor.
He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Darrel, Virgil, and Vernon, and son-in-law, Ric Cummins. He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Audrey, three children, Mary Mortensen, Lawrence, KS, Ruth Mortensen, Chicago, IL, Neal Mortensen (Trena), Indianapolis, IN; two grandchildren, Tristan Mortensen (Erika Schlichter), Riner, VA, and Tianna Maschger (Tyler), St. Petersburg, FL, two great-granddaughters, Elan and Layla, one brother Ronald (Barbara) Mortensen, Valley, NE,, and one sister, Peggy Miller, Ft. Worth , TX, as well as a host of nieces and nephews.
The Inurnment service will be held on Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 1:30 p.m. at Stordahl Lutheran Cemetery, Dell Rapids, SD.
Memorials may be given to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 2211 Inverness Drive, Lawrence, KS 66047, Presbyterian Manor Good Samaritan Fund, 1429 Kasold, Lawrence, KS 66049 or the Lawrence Public Library Friends and Foundation, PO Box 973, Lawrence, KS 66044
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