Duane Modean

Duane D. Modean
March 29, 1929 - April 13, 2014
Duane D. Modean was born in Clay County, Kansas on March 29, 1929 to Samuel and La Verne Modean. He, his sister La Donna, his brother Wilbur and about twelve other students attended Trudell Elementary, a one room school house. Duane went on to graduate from Clay County Community High School and joined the Navy and served his country from Sept. 1947 thru Sept  1952. He was first assigned to the U.S.S. Iowa (BB-61) for two months. On March 24, 1948 he was transferred to the U.S.S.T.E. Chandler (DD-717). He served as a sheet metal worker in all  areas of the ship, earning the rate of Petty Officer 2nd class aboard the Theodore Chandler. They  sailed to Jamaica, Hawaii, Panama, Japan and Korea and also spent time at the Long Beach Naval Ship yard and various other naval ports along the West coast.
While on leave, he went back to Kansas and married Rosaland Rogers on July 7th, 1951. Rosaland traveled stateside to the naval ports in San Diego, San Francisco and eventually to Key West, Florida where they stayed until Duane was released in 1952. They came back to  California and settled in Modesto. On November 30, 1953 their son Wayne was born.
Duane worked as an apprentice for two years and three years as a journeyman at Stanislaus Sheet Metal (Robert E. Hill, owners). He then went on to work for Hansens which later became Champion Industrial, Inc. While there, he worked on the construction of the cooling system for the first glass bottle furnace at Gallo Glass in Modesto. Duane also worked on the construction of the Swift Meat Packing plant and the Tilly Lewis facilities, both in Stockton.
In 1963 Duane and Rosaland moved out to Hopper Rd., where they and a friend and business partner, Jim Ritter, bought 75 acres of dairy pasture. They developed the land into a lucrative almond ranch. Soon Modean Farms Incorporated was formed, and by 1968 Duane had built an almond huller processing plant on the property which provided service to over 130 local almond growers.
He and Rosaland also branched out into the bee keeping business and had over 2,500 hives, she raised the Queen bees, then sold and shipped them all over the United States. Finally in 1990 Duane retired from Champion and was able to go full time in the almond hulling business.
In 2011 Duane sold the almond farm and huller, but still owned and operated Modean Farms,  Inc. Duane was also a member of the California Almond Hulls Partnership.
Duane was a wonderful husband to Rosaland for 62 years, before she passed away on July 10, 2013. Duane is also preceded in death by his Son, Wayne L. Modean, Modesto, Ca., parents  Samuel and La Verne Modean, brother Wilbur Modean, Modesto, Ca. Sister La Donna Urban and brother-in-law Alvin Urban of Morganville, Ks.
Duane leaves behind his great-grandson Matthew Wayne Modean of Waterford, Ca. His Sister-in-law Kay Modean, Modesto, Ca., his nieces Susan Straughn, Modesto, Ca., Jody Harbaugh, Hays, Ks. and Jayne Nunes of Modesto, Ca. His nephews, Jeff Urban of Alpharetta, Georgia and, John Urban Morganville, Ks. Mark Modean of Modesto, Ca. And his granddaughter Kari Lynn Modean, Modesto, all of whom will miss him very much.
The last month of his life he had Hospice Services and three wonderful nurses who took care of him weekly, Karen, Amy and Katy and a Social Worker, Sareth who was very helpful, also a Chaplin Scott who made house calls and played music for him. He also had two caregivers, Patricia Waters and Vicki Martin, who took care of him for over a year, whom all helped made it possible to stay at home until his death.
Duane was a member of Calvary Baptist Church on Miller Ave. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Hospice, 4368 Spyres Way, Modesto, CA 95356 and or to Calvary Baptist Church at 1732 Miller Ave, Modesto, Ca. 95354
Viewing will be held on Monday, April 21, 2014 from 4:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M. At Lakewood Funeral Home, located at 900 Santa Fe Ave, Hughson, Ca. Services will be held Tuesday, April 22, 2014, 10:00 A.M. at Calvary Baptist Church, 1732 Miller Ave, Modesto, Ca. Final resting place Peacevale Garden at Lakewood Memorial Park, 900 Santa Fe  Ave., Hughson, Ca. 
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