Duane Douglas Neuharth
Duane D. Neuharth, 90, of Sioux Falls, passed away on December 25, 2024.
Duane was born on August 1, 1934, to Henry J. and Lea (Stoebner) Neuharth in Eureka, SD. After attending country school for eight years, he graduated from Eureka High School in 1952. For four years, he taught country school in McPherson County before serving in the U.S. Army from 1956 to 1958 as a company clerk at Fort Belvoir, VA.
On November 23, 1958, Duane married DeLores Aman of Hosmer, SD, at the Reformed Church in Eureka, SD. The couple had two children, Steve and Brian. DeLores passed away from a lingering illness on July 21, 1982, in Redwood Falls, MN.
Duane went on to attend Northern State University in Aberdeen, where he earned his degree in 1961. He then taught high school business and social studies in Barnard, SD, and Cokato, MN. In 1969, the family moved to Redwood Falls, MN, where Duane founded and became the director of the Redwood Cooperative Center, a vocational school for high school juniors and seniors from Redwood Falls and six surrounding schools. In 1973, he earned his Master’s Degree in Vocational Administration from Mankato State University.
From 1978 until his retirement in 1993, Duane served as the business manager of the Marshall Public Schools in Marshall, MN. He moved to Sioux Falls in 1998.
A member of the Elks Lodge #262 in Sioux Falls and American Legion Post #186 in Eureka, Duane was also a past member of the Minnehaha Masonic Lodge #5 and the El Riad Shrine in Sioux Falls.
Duane was passionate about sports, particularly the Minnesota Twins and Vikings, and loved country music. Summers were often spent at the We-Fest country music festival in Detroit Lakes, MN. In 1984, he fulfilled his childhood dream by earning his private pilot's license.
Survivors include two sons, Steven (Gloria) Neuharth of Hayden, ID, and Brian (Kellene) Neuharth of Lakewood, CO; four grandchildren, Reese, Morgan, Derek, and Kayla Neuharth; as well as one brother, Jerald Neuharth of Lisbon, ND. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, one brother, Howard, and two sisters-in-law, Twila (Friske) Neuharth and Norma (Eiseman) Neuharth.