William Louis Duenow, age 96, of New London, passed away on Tuesday, February 21, at Glen Oaks Care Center.Memorial services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, February 25 at Faith Lutheran Church in Spicer. Interment will be at Ft. Ridgely Cemetery near Fairfax at a later date. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Arrangements are with Peterson Brothers Green Lake Funeral Home in Spicer. Memorials are preferred to Rice Hospice.
William was born Sept. 25, 1915 at home in Cario Township near Fairfax, Minnesota to Julius and Wilhelmina (Fischer) Duenow. William attended school at the Red Maple District 39 in Rural Fairfax and the Christian Day Parochial School at St. John's Lutheran School in Fairfax.
On October 2, 1940, he married Inez Gieseke at St. John's Lutheran Church in Raymond. He farmed for 13 years in the Fairfax area before being employed by the State of Minnesota as a Park Manager for 27 years. He worked at Alexander Ramsey Park in Redwood Falls, Ft. Ridgley State Park near Fairfax and Lake Carlos State Park near Alexandria. Bill retired from the DNR on April 29, 1979. He moved to Spicer in 1992 and most recently resided at Glen Oaks in New London.
Bill and Inez were active in the Site Council and serving meals for the Senior Citizens in Spicer. They also loved to dance. In the early years of their retirement, Bill & Inez traveled to Texas a few months each winter. They also traveled the United States on numerous bus tours. Bill loved the outdoors; he especially enjoyed ice fishing along with grouse and deer hunting. The only thing Bill loved more than the outdoors was to spend time with his family — especially his wife, daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
He is survived by three daughters, Ardys (and David) Lais of New London, Diane (and James) Meyer of Blue Earth and Wendy (and Duane) Brownlee of Detroit Lakes; five grandchildren, Daniel (and Mandy) Lais, Sarah (and Christopher) Scribner, Duane Jr. (and Andrea) Brownlee, Kristina (and Barry) Meyers and Denise (and Randy) McReynolds; five great-grandchildren; and other relatives and friends.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, three brothers and three sisters.
