Duane L. Schlecht

Duane Leroy Schlecht, 84, of Tucson, AZ, passed away on April 13, 2023. Duane was born on November 23, 1938, in Velva, ND, the middle son of Rudolph and Lydia Schlecht.

With the help of his mother, Duane lied about his age and joined the ND National Guard at age 16. After graduating from high school, he started working for the department store Montgomery Ward on Sept 8, 1956, when he was seventeen years old, as a stock boy and janitor. On Feb 6, 1957, Duane enlisted in the army where he worked first as a surgical tech and then as a dental assistant, and briefly flirted with the idea of becoming a dentist. As a young G.I. stationed in Germany, Duane attended the 1958 World’s Fair in Brussels where he met Antonia Burnard, an English woman on holiday with her two younger siblings. Exchanging addresses, they began corresponding by letter; soon they explored Denmark, Norway, and Sweden together. Eventually, Duane proposed to her over the telephone. Duane and Toni were married on December 19, 1959, in Midsomer Norton, England, and were happily married for 63 years. They welcomed their son, Andrew, in 1962 and their daughter, Reinet, in 1963.

After he was honorably discharged from the army in 1960, he returned to Minot, ND, and was rehired at Montgomery Ward, this time as a salesman in the men’s department. He immediately impressed the store manager who encouraged him to pursue a career in management. Over the years, Duane was a salesman, department manager, operations manager, merchandising manager, assistant store manager, store manager, retail jewelry buyer, and district manager. For several years, he was one of the company’s go-to-men—when a store was in trouble, Wards would send him to the rescue. At one point, Duane was the manager of the largest Montgomery Ward store in the world. Finally, he retired on Sept 8, 1994, 38 years to the day after he started, when he was only fifty-five.

Duane had dreamed of moving to Tucson ever since he brought his son, Andrew, to attend the University of Arizona in 1980. Duane and Toni moved to Tucson in 1994 so Toni could be the business manager for their son's architecture practice. After moving 14 times in their first 34 years of marriage, this would be their 15th and final move.

Duane was not about to sit around during his retirement. He started his own company, DART (an acronym for Duane Andrew Reinet Toni), which provided merchandise for gas stations and convenience stores. He also worked for various small retail outlets. Eventually, he volunteered to start and manage the Lutheran Thrift Store in Tucson. He received no salary, worked with an all-volunteer staff, and coordinated with Pastors and Churches throughout the Tucson area. It was an astounding success and provided monetary grants to churches and other charities. It was a joyful time as he was doing what he loved to do, working with people he adored, helping those in need, all to the glory of God.

His can-do spirit meant Duane volunteered in many capacities, such as with the Optimist Club, Chamber of Commerce, and their church. After moving to Tucson, Duane and Toni were members of Tanque Verde Lutheran Church. In 2009, they became charter members of Desert Hope Lutheran Church, where he ushered with Toni on Sunday mornings, rarely missing worship.

Duane and Toni loved to travel. Memorable trips included returning to Europe with their children twice and many camping trips throughout the United States and Canada. Over the years, they visited five continents and more than 55 countries, making new friends all over the world.

Duane was tenacious, hardworking, generous, and loved his family and friends deeply. He sought out the company of others, making friends wherever he went. He could make a complete stranger feel like he had known them their entire life. One of his favorite pastimes was playing cards, especially Pinochle, Hand and Foot, and Poker. In his youth, Duane liked baseball, ice skating, hockey, and basketball. He was a great sports fan, especially for the University of Arizona men's and women's basketball and women's softball teams, as well as the Arizona Cardinals and Diamondbacks, and the Minnesota Vikings and Twins. If you were to visit, chances are there would be a sports game on the television and you would be startled by his sudden cheers or shouts of frustration. He enjoyed doing home remodeling, spending many hours tirelessly helping his son, daughter, brother, grandchildren, and friends renovate.

His family rejoices that Duane has been reunited with Toni and is now pain-free, walking and jumping and praising God, for death has been swallowed up in the victory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Duane was preceded in death by his wife, Antonia (Toni) Schlecht, his parents, Rudolph and Lydia Schlecht, eldest brother, Curtis Schlecht (Terri), and granddaughters Amanda Schmid and Melissa Houg Schmid (Anthony). He is survived by his brother Donald Schlecht (Donna), son Andrew Schlecht (Vallorie), daughter Reinet Schmid (Dacle), six grandchildren—Katharina Ayer (Kyle), Eric Schmid, Victoria Leon, Anthony Schmid (Angie), Jonathan Schlecht (Alex), and Elizabeth Schlecht—and five great-grandchildren—Kaedence Ayer, Alanna Leon, Korina Ayer, Rebekka Leon, and Emily Foixe—plus numerous cousins, nephews, and nieces here and around the world.

Many thanks to all the friends and pastors who have supported Toni and Duane, especially in the last nine months, and to the medical staff and hospice care workers at the VA for their compassionate care. The memorial service will be on July 29, 2023, at 11:00 AM at Desert Hope Lutheran Church in Tucson with Pastor Kent Groethe presiding. The service will be live-streamed at www.deserthope.org/worship-live-stream .