Duane O’Dell McGhee, 78, of Iola died at his home on Monday, Sept. 19, 2011.
Duane was born Jan. 9, 1933, on a farm in rural Colony, to Claude Robert and Mary Jane (O’Dell) McGhee. He grew up in rural Colony and attended rural Anderson County schools. He was baptized at Northcott Church at the age of 10. He graduated from Colony High School in 1950 and was attending Iola Junior College when he was called into the U.S. Army. He served two years and was stationed in Korea for 16 months. He was honorably discharged as a Specialist 3 in March of 1957.
On June 24, 1951, Duane married Dorothy Tippie at Northcott Christian Church. They made their home on a dairy farm west of Colony where they raised their four children. Duane served on the original board that organized Water District No. 5 and served on the board until 1981. He also served several years on the Le Roy Co-op Association Inc. board. He was on the Northcott Church board helping with additions to the original church.
He went to work at Gates Rubber Company in Iola in 1980. Duane retired from the dairy and farming in 1981 and they moved to Iola. He retired from Gates in 1998. Following retirement, he and Dorothy did volunteer work at The Stonecroft Conference Center in Hollister, Mo.
He was currently a member of First Christian Church in Iola. He and Dorothy were members of Iola Red Hots Square Dance Club. He enjoyed gardening and spending time with Dorothy.
He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Dorothy McGhee of the home; four children, Leslie Duane and his significant other, Linda Hughes, Greeley, Kendall Dean and his wife, Christy, Neosho Falls, Terri Jean Louk and her husband, John, Kincaid, and Pamela Kay Campbell and her husband, Duane, Wahoo, Neb.; two brothers, Gerald McGhee and his wife, Shirley, rural Colony, and Jack Ellis and his wife, Marylyn, Humboldt; four sisters, Roberta West and her husband, Robert, rural Colony, Thelma Haley and her husband, A.D., Yuba City, Calif., Sharon Kay Voorhees and her husband, George, rural Colony, and Mona Tinsley and husband, Jerry, Springfield, Mo.; a brother-in-law, William J. Stahl, rural Colony; 16 grandchildren; and 23 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Anita Rae, daughter-in-law, Carol Sue McGhee, and a sister, Mikell Diane Stahl.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at First Christian Church in Iola.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at First Christian Church in Iola. The Rev. Dave McGullion will officiate. Burial will be in Colony Cemetery.
Memorials to First Christian Church may be left at Waugh-Yokum and Friskel Memorial Chapel of Iola, which is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences for the family may be left at iolafuneral.com.
Duane McGhee
