Duane J. Reicks

PETERSBURG — Duane Joseph Reicks, 77, of Fort Morgan, Colo., died Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2014, at the Veterans Hospital in Omaha. A celebration of life with Mass will be at St. John’s Catholic Church in Petersburg at 10:30 a.m. Saturday with the Revs. Stan Schmit, Keith Rezac and Robert Schmitz officiating. Burial with military honors by the United States Army Honors Guard will follow in the parish cemetery. Visitation will be 6-7:30 p.m. Friday at the church with a 7:30 p.m. wake service. Stonacek Memorial Chapel of Pierce is in charge of arrangements. Duane Joseph Reicks, son of Elizabeth (Schmitz) and Alphons Bernard Reicks Sr., was born on March 29, 1936, at Petersburg. He was baptized and confirmed at St. John’s Catholic Church in Petersburg. He attended grade school at St. John’s. He volunteered to serve his country in the Army in January of 1957 during the Korean conflict and was honorably discharged in December of 1958. He then helped his father on the farm. On June 29, 1959, Duane was united in marriage to Theadora (Dorothy) Hoffmann at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Pierce. To this union five sons and one daughter were born. Duane worked on the family farm at Behlen Manufacturing in Columbus and the Petersburg Lockers. In 1981 he moved to Fort Morgan, with his family to follow, where he worked at Johnson’s Super Food Grocery. In the spring of 1986, Duane, Dorothy and family moved to Madison, where Duane managed the Madison Meat Market, a subsidiary of the Petersburg Lockers, for two years and then returned to Fort Morgan where he was self-employed as a carpet layer until his retirement. Duane was very instrumental in the decision to help care for his mother-in-law, Evelyn Hoffmann. Duane’s community service included volunteering on all fire departments of the communities in which he lived. He was very active in the National Farmers Organization throughout his years of farming. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic Order of Foresters and St. John’s Parish in Petersburg, St. Leonard’s Parish in Madison and St. Helena’s Parish in Ft. Morgan. Duane enjoyed his family, camping, fishing, card parties with friends and supporting his children in their endeavors. He never seemed to miss family gatherings that included the baptisms, first communions, confirmations, graduations and weddings of his grandchildren, nieces and nephews. He made friends wherever he went. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy of Fort Morgan; their children, Dominic (Dawn) Reicks of Ravenna, Dean (Cathy) Reicks of Kearney, Darrell Reicks of Wiggins, Colo., Dale (Pam) Reicks of Cozad, Dan (Teresa) Reicks of Wiggins and Donna (Dave) Holt of Woodrow, Colo.; 18 grandchildren, Alyssa Cisneros, Cassandra Giffin, Mariah Reicks, Beth Eichleman, Nathan Reicks, Monica Eder, Megan Hanson, Sierra Reicks, Mia Reicks, Danielle Reicks, Chantelle Reicks, Jessica Reicks, Aaron Reicks, Kayla Haws, Tierra Haws, Levi Holt, Morgan Holt and Chelbi Holt; eight great-grandchildren; one brother, Jerome (Barbara) Reicks of Sun City West, Ariz.; one sister, Eleanor (Vernon) Borer of Lincoln; one sister-in-law, Helen Reicks of Petersburg; along with many nieces, nephews and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; father-in-law Aloysius Hoffmann; brother Alphonse; infant brother Donald; infant grandsons Michael and Duane Reicks; and three brothers-in-law, Glenn Konopasek, Joe Krier and Robert Horn. Memorials may be directed to the family.

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Duane J. Reicks

March 29, 1936 - January 21, 2014