Duane Strait

Duane Arthur Strait, 94, entered God's Kingdom on July 1, 2026.Visitation will be held at Faith United Methodist Church in Webster City on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m., followed by a memorial service at 11:00 a.m. Lunch will be served following the service. Burial will take place at a later date in Watertown, South Dakota. The family has entrusted Boman Funeral Home (www.bomanfh.com) to care for the arrangements.

Duane was born on October 25, 1931, in Codington County, South Dakota, to Leonard and Zelda (Mitchell) Strait. As a young man, he spent many summers in western South Dakota with his sister, where he enjoyed helping with cattle drives and farm work. In 1952, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and was stationed in Germany, where he taught geodetic surveying.

On June 11, 1956, Duane married Geraldine Tesch in Watertown, South Dakota. Together they built a loving family and were blessed with three children: Gordon, Doug, and Debra. They recently celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on June 11, 2026.

Faith was the cornerstone of Duane's life. He was an active member of the Gideons, faithfully visiting churches to share how the distribution of Bibles was changing lives around the world. Through his work with the Gideons, he found great purpose in helping others discover God's love and reminding everyone he met that they were never alone. His servant's heart and willingness to help others were evident throughout his life.

Duane also served in numerous leadership positions within the Dakota Conference of the United Methodist Church in South Dakota. After moving to Webster City, Iowa, he purchased the Coast to Coast Hardware Store, where he combined his love of sales with his passion for serving others. He later served on the Webster City Zoning Board of Adjustments and a local disability agency. After selling the hardware store, Duane worked as a custodian at Iowa Central Community College in Webster City. He especially enjoyed interacting with the students and remained there until retiring at the age of 75.

Nothing brought Duane greater joy than spending time with his family. He looked forward to family gatherings and treasured every opportunity to be together.

His family includes his wife of 70 years, Gerry; son, Doug (Barb) Strait; grandchildren: Damien (Emily) Strait, Daniel (Tia) Strait, Margaret (Daniel) Janssen, Danielle (Zane) Woodle, and Breanna Strait; and 13 great-grandchildren.