Howard Joseph Duchene

HOWARD JOSEPH DUCHENE was born to Raymond F. and Isabelle A. (Carpenter) Duchene on April 15, 1933, Holy Saturday, in Waseca, Minnesota. He was baptized at Sacred Heart Church in Waseca and received First Communion and was confirmed at Sacred Heart Church where he served as altar boy into adulthood. He was raised in Faribault, Minnesota and attended Sacred Heart Grade School through the eighth grade and graduated from Faribault High School in 1951. On September 4, 1954, he was united in marriage to Lorraine Broin at Sacred Heart Church in Faribault. He apprenticed as a meat cutter under his father, Ray, eventually working at Red Owl Store in Waseca, Olsen's Market in St. Peter, Minnesota and as meat manager for 11 years at Jensen's Meats in Faribault. In 1967, he was then given the opportunity to be one of the first seven instructors hired at the new Pipestone Area Vocational School (now known as Minnesota West Community Technical College) in Pipestone, Minnesota. Lorraine was diagnosed with MS and he faithfully cared for her until her death on October 15, 1983. On September 27, 1985, he was united in marriage to Noreen 'Nori' Clark Welch at St. Joseph's Cathedral in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Following their marriage, they resided in Pipestone where he continued teaching meat cutting until his heart attack in November, 1994, causing him to retire in June, 1995. Howard was diagnosed with cancer on October 9, 2013 and died peacefully at his home under hospice care on Wednesday, November 6, 2013 at the age of 80 years, six months and 21 days.

Howard was a member of St. Leo Catholic Church in Pipestone. He also loved attending St. Martin Catholic Church in Woodstock, Minnesota. He was a former member of Eagle's Club in Faribault and a member of MEA and NEA. All his life, he enjoyed sports and played ball starting with Pee Wee Ball, Midget Ball and Junior Legion Ball. He played baseball in High School and was elected captain of Faribault High School baseball team in 1950. He played fast pitch softball for many years, participating in 13 state tournaments. When he was ten years old, he developed a lifetime interest in pigeons. He raised both Unflown Show Homers and race birds. When he moved to Pipestone, he concentrated on Unflown Show Homers. He became a National Judge for shows around the country, National Young Bird Show in Louisville, Kentucky, New York, Illinois, Chattanooga, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and local shows. In 1977, he won the National Young Bird Show. In his younger years, he enjoyed pheasant hunting. In his 50's, he decided to take dance lessons, 42 weeks of ballroom, jazz and country swing and asked Nori to be his dance partner. Together they enjoyed dancing until the heart problems interfered. He also enjoyed driving around the square in town and in the country looking for deer, pheasants and wild turkeys.

He is lovingly remembered by his wife, Nori Duchene of Pipestone, Minnesota; two daughters, Lou Ann Kellar (Gary Elgan) of Council Bluffs, Iowa and Lynda (Ralph) Peterson of Canby, Minnesota; four step-children, Amy (Jim) Shoemaker of Bettendorf, Iowa, Michael (Pamela) Welch of Yankton, South Dakota, Mary Jo Welch of Brandon, Manitoba, Canada and Ellen (Scott) Feuerhelm of Beach, North Dakota; six grandchildren; seven step-grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; two brothers, Don (Ceil) Duchene of Faribault, Minnesota and Ken (Susie) Duchene of Naples, Florida; one sister, Sharon (Jerry) Mangold of Faribault, Minnesota; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Lorraine; his parents, Raymond Duchene and Isabelle (Duchene) Newcombe and stepfather Francis Newcombe; brother, Robert J. Duchene; an infant brother, Gerald T. Duchene; one sister, Shirley Amundson; and special cousin, Bill Duchene.