Dennis Brandon Duewel

1931 - 2022

Dennis Brandon Duewel

August 1, 1931 – December 13, 2022

Dad passed away peacefully at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford, OR, Tuesday night December 13, 2022. Dennis was born in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, on August 1st, 1931, the son of Martin and Nadine Duewel. Denny grew up in the Ozarks with a shotgun in one hand and either a ball or fishing pole in the other. He floated the Current River with his Uncle Luin, shot squirrels with his favorite dog, and bagged groceries at Hoggs Market, all the while honing his baseball and basketball skills or listening to the St. Louis Cardinals on the radio. WW2 sent Denny and his folks to Kansas and Texas, but Missouri was always home. Basketball was his game and after 3 years at Poplar Bluff, one at Jefferson City High, he played JC ball and never lost his love for the hardwood. He landed on the campus of the University of Missouri where his new love was Shirley Shipherd from St. Louis, and they wed in 1954. After two years in the Army, Denny and Shirley started life in Mexico, Mo. raising four sons, working for A.P Green Firebrick Co., and by 1972 had made their way west to Elko, Nevada, where Denny continued his career in geology. He enjoyed the rugged mountains and wide open spaces, the small western town, chasing chukars with his pals and bird dogs, patrolling the links at Ruby View Golf Course, or searching for barite and other Nevada ores, rock hammer in hand. But his legacy and purpose were his family; Shirley and four sons, Steve, Jeff, John, and Alan. He was a man of faith and loved his family more than anything. While in Elko Denny's charitable time was with St. Paul's Episcopal Church, serving on the vestry, and with FISH (Friends in Service Helping) program in Elko. His geology and mining career in Nevada included extensive barite exploration, mining, and ore processing, and gold exploration drilling.

Denny and Shirley moved to Southern Oregon in 1996, and in retirement they enjoyed their home near the Applegate River, before moving to Grants Pass in 2004. They attended St. Luke's Episcopal Church, with Denny continuing service in the church vestry. Denny played golf, fished the Rogue River and made new friends around Grants Pass. He especially enjoyed fishing for salmon at Gold Beach with long-time Elko friends. In their last years Denny and Shirley both received great care from Cathy Chase of Advantage Health Care and at The Suites Assisted Living. Dennis was preceded in death by his parents, his loving wife Shirley, and grandchildren Erica and Dustin Duewel. He is survived by his four sons and their spouses and children; Steve (Cathy) of Bismarck, ND (Derek, Kerby, Roman, Pat); Jeff (Kathleen) of Grants Pass (Avery); John (Suzy) of Carlsbad, CA (Scott, Stefanie); and Alan (Julie) of Reno, NV (Davis, Hannah, Rachel), and ten great-grandchildren. Arrangements are being made by Hull and Hull of Grants Pass, with a private family memorial to be held in the coming months.