Duane Duba: 1937-2023

Duane Duba, 86, of Mitchell, S.D. and formerly of Ethan, S.D., passed away Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023, at Avera Queen of Peace Hospital in Mitchell. A funeral service was held Thursday, Aug. 31, at First United Methodist Church in Mitchell, with burial will be at Hillcrest Cemetery in Ethan.

Duane Dennis Duba was born April 30, 1937 at the Methodist Hospital in Mitchell to William and Alice (Manon) Duba. Duane attended a one-room country school, Tobin #11, for all eight grades. He graduated from Ethan High School in 1955.

Duane married his high school sweetheart, Pearl Hofer, on June 12, 1955, at the Hutterthal Mennonite Church in rural Freeman, S.D. Duane and Pearl were married for 68 years and had three children, Florence, Wanda and David. Duane and Pearl started farming with his dad and took over the farm in 1962. They farmed for 40 years, raising corn, oats, soybeans, alfalfa, hogs, and fed cattle.

Duane served on several boards and committees including: Pork Producers for County and State, Sanborn Telephone Co-op, Ethan All School Reunion, and was a long-time member of Mitchell Toastmasters. Duane enjoyed woodworking, building cedar chests for all his grandchildren and gun cabinets for his grandsons. He was also a great follower of the Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan Seahawks Football team and all the Ethan sporting events.

Duane is survived by his wife, Pearl of Mitchell; daughters, Florence Erpenbach of Ethan and Wanda (Mark) Belitz of Mt. Vernon; son, David (Vicki Connor) of Ethan; 11 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren; and sister, Marlis Kapfenstein of Lanark, Ill.

He was preceded in death by his parents; in-laws, Joseph and Justina Hofer; and son-in-law, Glen Erpenbach.