Duane K. Petersen

1951 - 2021

Duane K. Petersen
November 2, 1951 - January 19, 2021
Tumwater, Washington - Duane Keith Petersen was born in Pullman, WA to Loyd and Esther Petersen November 2, 1951 and passed away after a battle with cancer January 19, 2021 at his home in Tumwater, WA.
When Duane was a child his family moved to Lacey, WA, and he graduated from NTHS in 1970. Duane earned degrees in business and music from PLU, and also an MBA from PLU.
Duane showed an early interest in music and became highly skilled with guitar. A good tenor voice enabled Duane to sing lead vocal in bands. He paid his way through college by teaching guitar and performing with his father and others in a dance band.
Duane married Carolyn Jean Rice in 1975 in Sacramento, CA. The couple lived in Tacoma and Fircrest and had two sons, Nathan and Keith. As an active member of Christ Lutheran Church in Lakewood, WA for 40 years, he taught Sunday School, helped with Vacation Bible School, sang in choir, served as a church cantor, and as president of the Church Council.
Duane began his career working for the State of Washington. The majority of his career was spent as an IT consultant working for a wide variety of companies such as T mobile, Kaiser Permanente, and having his own firms. He was an accomplished Project Manager, and certified PMP instructor. At the time of his death, Duane was expecting the publication of his textbook about project management.
Duane loved acting in community theatre productions and had many amateur roles in and around the Tacoma area.
Beginning in 2012, Duane made international business a priority and learned Mandarin Chinese, teaching English at a local school in Kunming, China.
Duane married Helena (Linna Hu) in 2018 in Kunming, China. Duane then returned to the United States with Helena and her daughter Rebecca (Junke Hu).
Duane is survived by sons Nathan (Jenny) Petersen of Cartersville, GA, and granddaughter Lexi and a grandson, Killian, on the way, and Keith (Blair) Petersen, of Tacoma, WA with granddaughters Josephine and Charlotte. He is also survived by wife, Helena (Linna Hu), of Tumwater and step-daughter Rebecca (Junke Hu). He is also survived by brother Gary Petersen (Carolyn) of Midland, TX, nieces Shary (Christopher)Tompkins of Cochiti Lake, NM, Marsha (Charles) Green of McMinnville, OR, and nephew Andrew (Monica) Petersen of Odessa, TX and their children, Natalie and Noah Petersen.
Duane is preceded in death by his parents Loyd and Esther Petersen of Spokane Valley, his paternal grandparents Henry and Leola Petersen of Pullman, WA and his maternal grandparents Esther and John Frischknecht of Moscow, ID. He is also preceded in death by his younger brother, Dale Nathan Petersen.
The family plan to celebrate Duane's life at a later date.