Duane Schutjer
Duane Schutjer
Duane Schutjer
January 31, 1937 – August 1, 2016
Las Vegas, Nevada (Oskaloosa) | Age 79
Served With Honor ~ United States Military Veteran
Duane Schutjer, 79, of Las Vegas, Nevada, and formerly of Oskaloosa, died August 1st, 2016, in Oskaloosa, after a battle with cancer. Duane was born January 31, 1937 in Gary, South Dakota, the son of Herman Henry and Clarice Mae Heaton Schutjer.
Duane attended high school in Redfield, South Dakota. Following high school, he joined the air force. Upon his honorable discharge he returned to Redfield, South Dakota. It was there that he met M. Lee Davis, and they were married on March 30, 1958.
They lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where Duane attended the Dunwoody Institute for electronics while working for a detective agency. After his graduation, his parents decided to sell the nursing home in South Dakota, and purchase Tower Park nursing home in Oskaloosa, Iowa.
In 1958, the family needed his help with operations of the nursing home, so he, his wife and son Mike moved to Oskaloosa. It wasn’t long and he had Tower Park remodeled. In 1964, he purchased the Convalescent Home in University Park. He also became a father again to a baby daughter, Clarice Lee. In 1966, he and his wife graduated from LPN school at Indian Hills. In 1970, he added a new twenty-six bed addition to Tower Park Nursing Home, he and his wife went on to become nursing home administrators, getting their license in 1971 through the University of Iowa. In 1973 Siesta Park Retirement Home was completed by his construction company called “Big D”. Duane became a Realtor and Broker and formed Pyramid and Mirice Real Estate Agency along with his rental properties. In 1975, he built Pleasant Park Manor Nursing home and purchased Mahaska Manor Nursing home. Duane started LTC Management Company and consulted with other health care facilities in Iowa. He started M&M daycare for children; Iowa Educational Institute teaching classes like CNA certification, public speaking and wine classes.
Duane moved to Las Vegas in 1984 and attended classes at the University of Las Vegas for repairing gaming machines and computers with an emphasis in forensics. Duane then formed a computer technology company where he built and repaired them.
In 1970, Duane joined the Tri Lumen Masonic Lodge #18 A.F. and A.M. where he was a Master Mason, 32nd Scottish Rite and a Shriner from 1969 to 1996.
Duane became an avid reader on wines and it wasn’t long before he was back in school. He was a member of the Society of Wine Educators and attended the annual Monterey Wine festivals in California. While spending time in California; Duane went through rigorous testing to become a wine and sake judge. Duane enjoyed judging many California wines. He started Central Iowa Wine distributors located in West Des Moines and taught classes.
Duane’s last area of education was in religion, where he studied all types and became a hypnotist. In 2014, he started writing weekly bible quizzes for his church group.
Duane’s hobbies were photography, Dowsing and exploring the desert.
His family includes: a son, Michael H. Schutjer of Oskaloosa; a daughter, Clarice Lee (& Steve) Wright of Oskaloosa; three grandchildren: Alex, Alexis and Andrew; and a brother, Donnie Schutjer of Oskaloosa.
Duane was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters.
Funeral services will be held Friday, August 5th, 2016, at 2pm in the Bates Funeral Chapel in Oskaloosa with Reverend Bruce Wittern officiating.
Military Rites will be performed at the funeral chapel following the funeral ceremony.
Burial will be in the Grandview Cemetery in Gary, South Dakota on Saturday, August 6, 2016, at 2 p.m. The Bates Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.
Visitation will begin Thursday after 11 a.m. in the Bates Funeral Chapel and the family will be at the funeral chapel from 5-7 Thursday evening to greet friends and relatives.
To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Duane Schutjer please visit our Sympathy Store.
