Duane Wiese

Duane W. Wiese, age 82, of Yankton, South Dakota, died on Tuesday, February 13, 2024 at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM, on Friday, February 23, 2024 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Yankton with Reverend Steve Weispfennig officiating.   Burial with military honors will be at 2:00 PM (Mountain Time) on Monday, February 26 in the Black Hills National Cemetery in Sturgis, South Dakota.  Visitation is from 5:30 to 7:00 PM, on Thursday, February 22 at the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton with a prayer service at 7:00 PM.   Visitation continues one hour prior to the funeral at the church.

Duane William Wiese was born January 28, 1942, north of Bloomfield, Nebraska to Rudolph and Viola (Lemke) Wiese. He was baptized on February 15, 1942, by Rev. Ollenberg at First Trinity Lutheran Church. He publicly confessed his Christian faith before the congregation and was confirmed by Rev. E. R. Dubs on March 25, 1956. He attended grade school at Rural School District 111 and middle school at First Trinity Lutheran School in Bloomfield. 

He attended Bloomfield High School, where he lettered in basketball and participated in vocal groups and drama, graduating in 1960.  He then studied Education at Wayne State College.

Duane enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in January 1963. After Basic Training in Texas, he attended Missile Guidance Systems Training at Lowry Air Force Base, in Denver, Colorado. He then attended Missile Combat Crew Chief Training at Orlando Air Force Base, in Florida, and later was a Missile Dispatch Team Chief at Hahn Air Base Germany. He was honorably discharged from active duty in October 1966. He became a production supervisor at Dale Electronics in Yankton, SD and later a shift supervisor at Dale Electronics in Norfolk, NE. Duane and Janet K. Trenhaile, daughter of Harold and Evelyn (Buesing) Trenhaile, were married on June 21, 1968, by Rev. Dubs at First Trinity Lutheran Church in Bloomfield. Three children were born to this union: Jeremy, Darren, and Amy. In 1970, Duane attended Western Nebraska Technical College before re-enlisting in the U.S. Air Force in June 1971. He continued his military career in Missile Systems maintenance, supervision, and management with assignments in nine states, three tours of duty in Germany, and one tour of duty in South Korea. Duane is a distinguished graduate of the Non-Commissioned Officer Academy for U.S. Air Force, Europe. He obtained an associate degree in Applied Electronic Systems Technology and achieved the rank of Senior Master Sergeant before his retirement in September 1993 at F. E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, WY, with more than 26 years of honorable service. 

Following military retirement, Duane was assistant parts manager for the John Deere dealership in Bloomfield until he and his son Darren started a partnership doing interior trim carpentry in the Denver area. In 1999, he became a construction manager and supervised the construction of three KinderCare childcare facilities in the Denver area. Duane and Jan retired to Yankton in 2007. Duane had a life-long love of wood-working, making furniture, toys, and gifts for his family and for many others. In retirement, he enjoyed traveling with Jan in their RV and later he pursued his longtime interest in family history by tracking family genealogies to document over 3,300 ancestors and other relatives dating back to the 17^th century. He compiled and self-published a book about the “Wiese” name and history. A book about the “Lemke” family is in the draft stage. Duane was a member St. John’s Lutheran Church and involved with their Over-50 group.   Those that crossed paths with Duane experienced his fun-loving, often ornery, sense of humor.

Duane departed this life on Tuesday, February 13, 2024, having attained the age of 82 years, and 16 days.

He is survived by his wife, Jan of 55 years; his children: Jeremy (Jill) Wiese of Owasso, OK and his children, Hailee Wiese, Hannah (Zach) Drenthe, and Mason (Peri) Wiese; Darren (Tammy) Wiese of Cheyenne, WY and their children, July, Wade, Ty, and Joleen Wiese; and Amy (Sam) Cofield of Colorado Springs, CO and their children, Jasmine and Xavier Cofield; sister and brother-in-law, Dianne (Jerry) Diekmann; in-laws, Bernice Schneider, Tom (Mary) Trenhaile, Connie Zimmerman, Jack (Diane) Trenhaile, Dale (Linda) Trenhaile, Steve Trenhaile; and many nieces and nephews. 

Duane was preceded in death by his parents, Rudolph and Viola Wiese; his in-laws, Harold and Evelyn Trenhaile; daughter-in-law, Audra Wiese; brother and sister-in-law, Leon and Sharon Wiese; in-laws, Richard and Darlene Trenhaile, Richard Schneider, Harold and Betty Ketelsen, and Kenneth Zimmerman.

Memorial donations may be made in Duane’s name to Disabled American Veterans online at www.dav.org, or to St. John’s Lutheran Church in Yankton.