Duane Eldon Jenness left his family, friends and neighbors on December 19, 2019, at the age of 90, passing peacefully in his sleep. Duane was born March 11, 1929, in Sioux City, Iowa, to Elwood and Helen Jenness. The family, including Duane’s twin sister, Doris, and their older brother, LaVerne, moved to Oregon sometime after 1940, where Duane’s youngest sister Karalyn was born. On March 22, 1948, Duane married Dorothy Lois Jenness in Polk County, Dallas, Oregon. The first marriage ceremony performed at the new Trinity Lutheran Church.
Duane began working at the Hunt’s cannery in Salem at the age of 16. He was later transferred to Fullerton, California, then to Davis, California in 1962. In 1963, Duane left Hunt’s to build custom homes in Eugene, Oregon, but returned to Hunt’s in Davis, in 1966. The following year Duane was transferred to Oakdale, California, making Oakdale their final home. Dorothy died on March 20, 2008. Two days short of their 60th wedding anniversary.
Duane remained in Oakdale in the home he built in 1972. Duane’s dedication to that home continued over the years, known to his neighbors as the old guy who never stopped working in his yard. At the age of 90, he would be seen jetting around his property on a motorized wheelchair, hauling needed materials and getting off the chair to work around the yard. The huge California Redwood trees he planted were the pride and joy of the landscape. Just a week prior to his death, Duane was out repairing the sprinklers. Over the years Duane was a master craftsman, building houses, furniture, and crafting projects of all sorts. There was nothing he could not repair, modify or create from parts he had on hand.
Throughout his life Duane enjoyed the outdoors. The early years were filled with family camping trips, deer hunting, and catching salmon on the Oregon coast. For a period of time while living in Southern California, Duane was a prolific scuba diver bringing home catches of abalone and sometimes lobster. There were also tales of encounters with a moray eel and a shark. His passion focused on fishing in later years, with an untold number of trips to the Delta where he and Dorothy showed off prideful catches of striped bass and occasionally sturgeon. Many trips were with his friends and coworkers from Hunt’s.
Duane was preceded in death by his mother and father, and his brother LaVerne. He is survived by his twin sister Doris Hall of Eugene, Oregon, sister Karalyn Coburn of Apache Junction, Arizona, oldest son Garry Jenness of Oakdale, California, son Bruce Jenness (and Terri) of Turner, Oregon, and daughter Linda Juengel (and Stan) of Luzerne, Michigan. At the time of his death, Duane had eight grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild.
Duane and Dorothy are both interred at Oaklawn Memorial Park cemetery in Oakdale, California.
The Oakdale (Calif.) Leader
Jan. 29, 2020
Duane began working at the Hunt’s cannery in Salem at the age of 16. He was later transferred to Fullerton, California, then to Davis, California in 1962. In 1963, Duane left Hunt’s to build custom homes in Eugene, Oregon, but returned to Hunt’s in Davis, in 1966. The following year Duane was transferred to Oakdale, California, making Oakdale their final home. Dorothy died on March 20, 2008. Two days short of their 60th wedding anniversary.
Duane remained in Oakdale in the home he built in 1972. Duane’s dedication to that home continued over the years, known to his neighbors as the old guy who never stopped working in his yard. At the age of 90, he would be seen jetting around his property on a motorized wheelchair, hauling needed materials and getting off the chair to work around the yard. The huge California Redwood trees he planted were the pride and joy of the landscape. Just a week prior to his death, Duane was out repairing the sprinklers. Over the years Duane was a master craftsman, building houses, furniture, and crafting projects of all sorts. There was nothing he could not repair, modify or create from parts he had on hand.
Throughout his life Duane enjoyed the outdoors. The early years were filled with family camping trips, deer hunting, and catching salmon on the Oregon coast. For a period of time while living in Southern California, Duane was a prolific scuba diver bringing home catches of abalone and sometimes lobster. There were also tales of encounters with a moray eel and a shark. His passion focused on fishing in later years, with an untold number of trips to the Delta where he and Dorothy showed off prideful catches of striped bass and occasionally sturgeon. Many trips were with his friends and coworkers from Hunt’s.
Duane was preceded in death by his mother and father, and his brother LaVerne. He is survived by his twin sister Doris Hall of Eugene, Oregon, sister Karalyn Coburn of Apache Junction, Arizona, oldest son Garry Jenness of Oakdale, California, son Bruce Jenness (and Terri) of Turner, Oregon, and daughter Linda Juengel (and Stan) of Luzerne, Michigan. At the time of his death, Duane had eight grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild.
Duane and Dorothy are both interred at Oaklawn Memorial Park cemetery in Oakdale, California.
The Oakdale (Calif.) Leader
Jan. 29, 2020
