Duane was our fourth child and the first child to be born at Elmbrook Hospital in Brookfield. Elmbrook was a new hospital facility and they had some really nice pampering for their guests, especially parents of newborns. The one I recall was a sit-down dinner where Mom and I ordered from the menu which featured lobster, steak, etc.
I was in my first year of work with the Elmbrook Schools administration. A few days after Duane was born all the administrators were meeting and I announced Duane's birth and the group reacted with excitement, probably due to the fact that the group was much older than I and childbearing was something rather unfamiliar to each of them.
The early photos of Duane show a cute little baby boy and he quickly captured the love of his brothers and sisters.
Duane was lucky to come into the world of our home shortly after we had city sewer and water connected. Previously with the twins and David four years earlier we didn't have city sewer and water. Rather we had a well and septic system with leech beds in the backyard which often overflowed with our diaper washing, causing considerable family stress. Wait, maybe it was Mom and Dad who were lucky, not Duane.
The photo of Duane's siblings hovering around Duane and Mom tell the story. His welcome home was a big deal for each of our other children.
Duane's bed at first was an antique bed that was used by Daryl's mother Ruth Benson as a baby in her farm home west of Iola Wisconsin. The bed was made of spindles and it's suspension system made gentle rocking quite easy. The photo shows Duane in his antique bed in the small bedroom. Our growing family forced us to make a basement bedroom for Jeff and David. We worked on that throughout the fall of 1969 before Duane's birth.
Daryl did the basement work installing paneling, wiring for electricity, removing the well pressure tank, putting up ceiling tiles. So, by the time Duane was born, Jeff and David were nestled in their downstairs bedroom with bunk beds, furniture and carpeting, etc. and Duane had his own bedroom for several years.
Duane was about almost two years old when we acquired a dog, a sheepdog / poodle mix, named Smokey. Mom took the lead in getting Smokey trained. But the task of raising five kids at time including Duane, a toddler, proved to be too much and so by the spring of 1975 we were forced to take Smokey to the Humane Society. Duane still recalls accompanying his Dad and Smokey. Since Smokey was still a puppy, in the large sense, we were confident he would be matched with a nice home soon.
Somewhere in his early years Duane acquired the nickname DeeDee. And so he was called by his siblings until he insisted that this practice cease.
Through most of Duane's early years he enjoyed spending quality time with his Mom while the four older kids were in school. Finally, Duane's turn came. Mom and I fretted about how Duane would handle going to school. He had been in some pre-school, but would he be reluctant to leave the house for the school bus on his first day?
On the morning of the first day of school we tried to make the walk to the bus smooth and focused on Duane. Somehow, not unusually, we got caught up in other kids' issues and suddenly thought, "what about Duane!" He was gone! Looking out the door we saw Duane outside at the corner boarding the kindergarten bus with several other kids. He was just fine and truly ready for the next step of going to school. Duane taught us that he knew how to take things into his own hands in our busy household. Mom and I just smiled and thought, "what we were worried about?"
Sometime around Duane's second Christmas he showed some worrisome signs of illness - bronchial coughs, temperature, etc. We took him to an allergist and learned that he was very allergic to tree pollen and a host of other common threats. One of the suggestions was to switch from natural to artificial Christmas trees in futures. So we quickly found an end of the year white plastic tree for our house. This tree required that each branch be stuck into the main trunk and later removed for storage. Our white tree was with us for some years and became a family symbol and memory.
Duane worked his way through school on the heels of four brothers and sisters. At every step of the way he was quickly recognized as a younger brother of a previous student by many of his teachers. Duane found out quickly that his quiet confident demeanor was very appropriate for making his way.
Another noteworthy memory of Duane is his fvorite stuffed toy Barney (of Barney Rubble fame). Barney came into existence through the sewing efforts of Grandma Mueller. She had purchased some cloth on which was printed the pieces of a Barney stuffed toy. Barney quickly became Duane's favorite companion. Wherever Duane was Barney was right there, often held by an arm or a leg. Well, over time Barney began to show his age...wear and tear. Each time that Barney sustained an injury Mom was right there to patch, mend and repair. Sometimes the repair required the addition of a new piece of material. Gradually the amount of original Barney became less and less, and before many years were gone Barney was recognizable only to Duane. But he still knew who is best buddy was.
As Duane was coming to the age of Cub Scouts and Boys Scouts, I decided to vacate the Scoutmaster role in troop 574 in favor of taking on Duane's Webelo Den. After a year of Webelos Duane crossed over to Boy Scouts into Troop 574. Duane progressed through all the levels of Cubs and Boy Scouts in quick order. He achieved the rank of eagle and took on numerous leadership responsibilities, which extended even into his post high school years. Even to this day Duane is an active Scout leader in both Cub and Webelo Scouts and his son Andrew is active as well. One of his highlights was attending Philmont High Adventure Scout Ranch in New Mexico.
Duane's school career went smoothly though elementary, middle and high school years. He participated in touch football at the YMCA and at Whitnall HS he joined the tennis team and played well.
Well I think of Duane I think of someone who always was ready to be successful. He excelled at the things he chose to do. He was and is a wonderful son, someone a parent can be truly proud of.
I was in my first year of work with the Elmbrook Schools administration. A few days after Duane was born all the administrators were meeting and I announced Duane's birth and the group reacted with excitement, probably due to the fact that the group was much older than I and childbearing was something rather unfamiliar to each of them.
The early photos of Duane show a cute little baby boy and he quickly captured the love of his brothers and sisters.
Duane was lucky to come into the world of our home shortly after we had city sewer and water connected. Previously with the twins and David four years earlier we didn't have city sewer and water. Rather we had a well and septic system with leech beds in the backyard which often overflowed with our diaper washing, causing considerable family stress. Wait, maybe it was Mom and Dad who were lucky, not Duane.
The photo of Duane's siblings hovering around Duane and Mom tell the story. His welcome home was a big deal for each of our other children.
Duane's bed at first was an antique bed that was used by Daryl's mother Ruth Benson as a baby in her farm home west of Iola Wisconsin. The bed was made of spindles and it's suspension system made gentle rocking quite easy. The photo shows Duane in his antique bed in the small bedroom. Our growing family forced us to make a basement bedroom for Jeff and David. We worked on that throughout the fall of 1969 before Duane's birth.
Daryl did the basement work installing paneling, wiring for electricity, removing the well pressure tank, putting up ceiling tiles. So, by the time Duane was born, Jeff and David were nestled in their downstairs bedroom with bunk beds, furniture and carpeting, etc. and Duane had his own bedroom for several years.
Duane was about almost two years old when we acquired a dog, a sheepdog / poodle mix, named Smokey. Mom took the lead in getting Smokey trained. But the task of raising five kids at time including Duane, a toddler, proved to be too much and so by the spring of 1975 we were forced to take Smokey to the Humane Society. Duane still recalls accompanying his Dad and Smokey. Since Smokey was still a puppy, in the large sense, we were confident he would be matched with a nice home soon.
Somewhere in his early years Duane acquired the nickname DeeDee. And so he was called by his siblings until he insisted that this practice cease.
Through most of Duane's early years he enjoyed spending quality time with his Mom while the four older kids were in school. Finally, Duane's turn came. Mom and I fretted about how Duane would handle going to school. He had been in some pre-school, but would he be reluctant to leave the house for the school bus on his first day?
On the morning of the first day of school we tried to make the walk to the bus smooth and focused on Duane. Somehow, not unusually, we got caught up in other kids' issues and suddenly thought, "what about Duane!" He was gone! Looking out the door we saw Duane outside at the corner boarding the kindergarten bus with several other kids. He was just fine and truly ready for the next step of going to school. Duane taught us that he knew how to take things into his own hands in our busy household. Mom and I just smiled and thought, "what we were worried about?"
Sometime around Duane's second Christmas he showed some worrisome signs of illness - bronchial coughs, temperature, etc. We took him to an allergist and learned that he was very allergic to tree pollen and a host of other common threats. One of the suggestions was to switch from natural to artificial Christmas trees in futures. So we quickly found an end of the year white plastic tree for our house. This tree required that each branch be stuck into the main trunk and later removed for storage. Our white tree was with us for some years and became a family symbol and memory.
Duane worked his way through school on the heels of four brothers and sisters. At every step of the way he was quickly recognized as a younger brother of a previous student by many of his teachers. Duane found out quickly that his quiet confident demeanor was very appropriate for making his way.
Another noteworthy memory of Duane is his fvorite stuffed toy Barney (of Barney Rubble fame). Barney came into existence through the sewing efforts of Grandma Mueller. She had purchased some cloth on which was printed the pieces of a Barney stuffed toy. Barney quickly became Duane's favorite companion. Wherever Duane was Barney was right there, often held by an arm or a leg. Well, over time Barney began to show his age...wear and tear. Each time that Barney sustained an injury Mom was right there to patch, mend and repair. Sometimes the repair required the addition of a new piece of material. Gradually the amount of original Barney became less and less, and before many years were gone Barney was recognizable only to Duane. But he still knew who is best buddy was.
As Duane was coming to the age of Cub Scouts and Boys Scouts, I decided to vacate the Scoutmaster role in troop 574 in favor of taking on Duane's Webelo Den. After a year of Webelos Duane crossed over to Boy Scouts into Troop 574. Duane progressed through all the levels of Cubs and Boy Scouts in quick order. He achieved the rank of eagle and took on numerous leadership responsibilities, which extended even into his post high school years. Even to this day Duane is an active Scout leader in both Cub and Webelo Scouts and his son Andrew is active as well. One of his highlights was attending Philmont High Adventure Scout Ranch in New Mexico.
Duane's school career went smoothly though elementary, middle and high school years. He participated in touch football at the YMCA and at Whitnall HS he joined the tennis team and played well.
Well I think of Duane I think of someone who always was ready to be successful. He excelled at the things he chose to do. He was and is a wonderful son, someone a parent can be truly proud of.
