Lang, Duane R. 1933-2009

LANG, JONES, HICKEY

Posted By: Mary Holub, volunteer (email)
Date: 6/19/2009 at 15:03:51

From: Le Mars Daily Sentinel, June 19, 2009

Duane R. Lang, 75, of Hinton, died Wednesday, June 17, 2009, at his home following a courageous battle with cancer.

Duane Robert Lang was born Sept.17, 1933, on a farm south of Le Mars, the son of Walter H. and Adah (Jones) Lang. He was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church, rural Hinton. Duane was raised on the family farm and attended country school near his home. He later graduated from Le Mars High School in 1952. After graduation, he worked at McGee Motors in Le Mars.

Duane was working for a road construction company when he was inducted into the United States Army. He served his country from Sept. 15, 1955, until earning his honorable discharge Sept. 13, 1957, having attained the rank of SP4. Duane returned home from the service and worked for Bill Sitzmann at the DX Service Station in Merrill.

On Aug. 31, 1958, Duane and Arlene Katherine Hickey were united in marriage at Grace Lutheran Church in Le Mars. In 1960 Duane started his career in the power supply industry by accepting a position at the Northwest Iowa Power Cooperative (NIPCO) as an electrical dispatcher. In 1966 he went to work for the United States Bureau of Reclamation on the Missouri River Valley project in Highmore, S.D. He transferred to Tracy, Calif., in December 1966 and worked as a power plant operator. In 1968 Duane transferred to Sacramento, Calif., and became a power dispatcher. He would later take a position with the State of California, Department of Water Resources as a water/power broker. Duane officially retired Dec. 31, 1997, but continued to work part-time for the next one and one-half years. He and Arlene returned to the area in May of 2003 and made Hinton their home.

Duane was a member of the Hinton United Methodist Church. In California he and Arlene did a great deal of boating and belonged to the Sacramento Bayliner Yacht Club and the Spindrift Yacht Club. Locally he was a member of the Merrill Lions Club and the Le Mars Sportsman's Club.

He will be lovingly remembered by his wife Arlene of Hinton; a son Dean Lang, and his wife Robbie and their son Eric of Rancho Cordova, Calif.; a daughter, Debby Moore and her husband Rob and their children Christin and Bryan of Visalia, Calif.; a daughter Cindy Cardoza and her husband Rafael and their children Travis, Kyle and Curtis of Placerville, Calif.; sisters-in-law Jeanette Reekers and her husband Merle of Sheldon and Pat Raynor and her husband Ron of Dakota City, Neb.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother Larry James Lang; and a brother-in-law Dennis Kennedy.

Funeral Services will take place at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Hinton United Methodist Church. The Rev. Peggy Ellingson will officiate. Burial will follow at a later date. Visitation will begin at 2 p.m. today (Friday) at the Mauer -- Johnson Funeral Home of Le Mars. The family will be present from 6 to 8 p.m. with a prayer service at 7 p.m. There will also be one hour of visitation at the church prior to the service on Saturday.