Duane W Ekern, age 93, a long-time Shell Lake resident passed away peacefully on January 10, 2022.

Duane was born on Dec 9, 1928, to Oscar and Josephine Ekern and was raised on the family farm in Cameron, WI.

He went on to graduate from a business school in Minneapolis, MN, and moved back to the area and married Mary Jane Reckenthaler in 1947. He worked in Rice Lake at the GTC for many years until he established his own GTC in Spooner in 1964, which he owned and operated until his retirement. Duane was a very social person and enjoy spending time with people and telling stories to anyone who would listen. He belonged to a number of social clubs including the Moose Lake Lodge, the Elk's Club, EAA, and the Aero Club. In his free time, he enjoyed bowling in Rice Lake, Spooner and Shell Lake, not to mention spending time with the "guys" at coffee each morning. Aviation was a passion for Duane as well. He was an avid pilot and spent a lot of time in his hanger at the Shell Lake Municipal Airport rebuilding three airplanes, flying to breakfasts at other airports and spending time each summer at EAA in Oshkosh where he and Mary would camp and enjoy each other's company while attending the air show. If he wasn't at his hanger tinkering or at coffee telling stories, he enjoyed spending time outdoors hunting, fishing or feeding his "pet" squirrels outside his window. He passed that love of the outdoors onto his family. Watching his grandchildren and great grandchildren from the deck playing in the water and fishing from the dock was one of his greatest joys later in life. He would sit on the deck watching them swim, catching minnows and crawfish, giving fishing advice and telling stories everyone had heard a hundred times before but loved hearing again anyway. His family was his greatest treasure.

Duane was preceded in death by his wife, Mary, sister, Liola, and brothers Merlin, Hollis and Arland

He is survived by his loving family including his four children: Michael (Katie) Ekern of Eland, Maureen (Jim) Mantor of Wausau, Marilyn Brenna (Ted) of River Falls, and David (Deb) Ekern of Shell Lake. His eight grandchildren include Jacob (Brenda) Ekern, Lisa Brenna (Joe Black), Laura (Derek Grove) Ekern, Julie (Chad) Onsgard, Neil Mantor, Lindsay (Greg) Cole, Steven Mantor, and Scott (Kristin) Ekern and his twelve great-grandchildren: Alyssa, Aren, Chloe, Gavin, Alex, Landon, Luke, Lydia, Owen, Olivia, Ayden, and Jack.

A celebration of life for Duane will be held at a later date.

Skinner Funeral Home is assisting the family with funeral arrangements

Last Update: Jan 15, 2022 2:46 pm CST