James Duane

03/20/1917 - 12/29/2010

DUANE, James

James Duane was taken to eternal rest on December 29th, 2010. An interment ceremony will take place at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery in Medical Lake on June 10th, 2011 at 3 pm. A gathering will follow at The Q in Northern Quest Casino.

"Jim" as he was known to friends and relatives was born Nicholas Gentile on March 20th, 1917 in Renova, Pennsylvania. He formally changed his name before being inducted into the army at the out break of World War II. He served his country proudly earning a Purple Heart during fighting in France while serving in the 3rd Armored Division. Jim was dis-charged after the war and tried his hand at various endeavors including running his own steakhouse in St. Louis and working in the casinos springing up in Las Vegas. It was at this time he met Violet Kruse. She would soon become his wife. Jim enlisted in the Air Force in 1948 spending time in Germany, Japan and various installations around the globe. He eventually achieved the rank of Staff Sargent. He retired in 1964 and spent another 10 years in the Air Force Reserves.

During his time in the Air Force Jim was stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base outside of Spokane, Washington. He loved the four seasons this part of the country provided and decided to make Spokane the home for his family. Jim was a natural entrepreneur and always had side projects going on during his military service. What started as Spokane Wrought Iron on the corner of Francis and Perry evolved into Western Steel and Fabrication which closed in 1978. Being ever the visionary Jim recognized the evolution of solid waste disposal and how recycling would play a major factor in that. So he started Du-Mor Recycling and Recycling Equipment Manufacturing in the late 70's. Du-Mor and REM are still in business today and are known as leaders in the recycling and scrap industries.

Jim was noted for his wanderlust up to the time of his death. He was described as having run away from home at the age of 12 and stayed on the road his entire life. He traveled to countless countries on six continents. In his later years he spent winters in Southeast Asia. One of his proudest achievements was taking his sisters on a trip to Italy to see where their parents lived before coming to America.

Jim is survived by a sister, a brother, wife, three daughters, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.