John 'Duane' GInergerich

JOHN D. "DUANE" GINGERICH

Amado, Ariz.

John D. "Duane" Gingerich, 86, of Amado Ariz., entered his heavenly home on Jan. 24, 2022, at his home in Amado. He was born Dec. 21, 1935, in Wayland, Iowa, to Marguerite and Earl Gingerich. At age 7, he was baptized into the Mennonite Church by his grandfather, Bishop Simon Gingerich. After his high school graduation, he briefly played football at Iowa Wesleyan University. He entered the Air Force and service in Radar Security in Las Cruces, N.M., where he meet his wife Betty and they had two children, Lora and Steven.

He briefly worked at McDonnell Douglas at White Sands, N.M., while he waited for a call from Smithsonian. Once at Smithsonian, he worked on a worldwide satellite tracking network that brought him and his family from New Mexico to Johannesburg, South Africa. During the duration of their four and a half years in South Africa they welcomed their daughter Carol.

Shortly after the completion of the satellite program they relocated to Amado, Ariz., where Duane was the director of maintenance at the Smithsonian's Fred L. Whipple Observatory on Mount Hopkins, just east of Amado. After retiring, he worked in maintenance for Sopori School for several years. When he finally decided to take a permanent break from working, he enjoyed playing golf with his good friends, Joe, Kurt, Les and Al. Duane also enjoyed playing card, Bingo with his wife Betty, NASCAR, arguing with EVERYONE and if you knew him you knew he loved the Dallas Cowboys!! In September, Duane was happy to be able to attend his 67th Wayland High School Reunion in Iowa. Above all else, Duane loved his family dearly and they loved him in return.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, parents and sister, Maxine.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Betty of 65 years; daughters and son, Lora (Patrick) Rodda, Steven (Tracie) Gingerich and Carol (Steve) Sayers; grandchildren, Patricia (Robby) DeLancey, Brianna (Ryan) Kuller, Staci (Dan) Magno, Keith (Shelby) Gingerich, Kevin (Kcenia) Gingerich, Cheyanna and Sara Sayers; great-grands, Wheeler, Kaisen, Jaxon, Rusty, Ember, Nikolai, Cora Lee and Gavin; sisters, Charlene Dawson and Darlene Hardy; half brother and sister, Gary Gingerich and Sonja Crichton; sister-in-law, Peggy Dettmer; and many nieces and nephews.

Memorial services are pending at this time.