Duane L. Thompson

   Duane L. Thompson, 85, of Belmond, Iowa, died Friday, June 7, 2013 at the Rehabilitation Center of Hampton, Iowa, where he had been a resident for a short time.  Funeral services were held Tuesday, June 11, 2013 at the Belmond United Methodist Church, Belmond.  The Reverend Cindy Morrison 

officiated.  Burial was in the Belmond Cemetery.   The family suggests those wishing to express their sympathies through a memorial in Duane’s name consider the American Diabetes Association, American Heart Association, or to the donor’s choice.

   Duane was born Oct. 16, 1927 at Goldfield, Iowa, the son of Glen and Hazel (Thomason) Thompson.  In 1943 the family moved to Belmond and Duane graduated from Belmond High School in 1946.  He worked at General Mills.  In 1949 he married Dorothy TerHark and started farming southeast of Belmond, later known as the Belmond Hospital Farm.  Duane farmed this farm continuously for the next 49 years.  Duane and Dorothy had four children, Linda, Leland, Lynne, and Leslie.

   Duane enjoyed woodworking, playing cards, dominoes, and bird-watching, but his passion was fishing.  He made annual fishing trips to Canada for over 60 years.

   Dorothy passed away in 1979 and in 1981 Duane married Norma Jean (Hopkey) Waage.  Duane and Jean farmed together, spent winters in Arizona and Missouri, and made numerous fishing trips to Minnesota and Canada.  Two of his favorite excursions were to Alaska, one by motor home and one on a cruise.

   Duane is remembered by his family for being a caring husband, father, grandfather,  great-grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend.  His life can be summed by his love of the four F’s:  family, friends, farming, and fishing, not necessarily in that order!

    Those left to cherish his memory include his wife, Norma Jean; children, Linda (Dick) Kehrt, Clear Lake; Leland (Cindy), Edgewater, Fla., Lynne(Sam) Karel, Gunterville, Ala., Leslie “Buck” (Gayle), Belmond; step-children, Wayne Waage, Belmond, LaVonne Waage, McKinney, Texas, Nick (Brenda) Waage, West Des Moines, Iowa, and Mitch (Deb) Waage, Belmond; grandchildren, Chad (Roxanne) Kehrt, Noel (Stacey) Kehrt, Angie (Jon) Schaefer Bottonlee, Sara (Bruce) Kehrt Oberle, Missy Thompson (fiance’, Chris Peters), Whitney Thompson, (fiance’, Zach Dahlgren), and Brandon Thompson; step-grandchildren, Gene Waage, Beth Waage, Dustin Waage, Maggie Clausman, Neal Schneider, and Amanda Schneider; 18 great-grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild; sister, Darlene Dieger; sisters-in-law, Anna Mae Mason, Rosie (Paul) Hunt, Janet (Richard) Skiye; brother-in-law, Larry (Sharon) TerHark; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

    He was preceded in death by his parents; first wife, Dorothy; in-laws, Jake and Grace TerHark and Ed and Gene Hopkey; brother, Don; sisters-in-law, Helen Thompson and Mary Thompson; brothers-in-law, Paul Dieger, Walt Mason, Duane Skiye, Gene TerHark, and Jerry Hopkey.  

    Andrews Funeral Home, Belmond, was in charge of arrangements.