Duane Gruver, 97 of Mason City passed away peacefully July 3, 2024 at Good Shepherd Care Center.
Services are pending.
Duane was born with assistance of a midwife to Ella Ambra Gruver and Paul Irwin Gruver in their country home in Mora Minnesota, July 29,1926. His earliest years were spent on the farm, helping with chores to include milking cows and participating in community potato harvests. Duane was unable to go to school for part of the year due to lack of what they called “over shoes” until Aunt Ruby came to teach at the school and boarded with the family. She had a spare pair that were modified to fit him.
The family moved to Minneapolis during the depression after his father made a failed business decision. Young Duane began to show a strong work ethic with a paper route to make money, of which he gave a portion to help support the family. The rest he saved to buy his own clothes. He even bought his little sister her first bicycle!
A few things from his teen years would follow him for the rest of his life; his love of cars; his mechanical abilities; his perfectionist traits; and the nickname that his classmates gave him, “The Duke“. While attending the Vocational Tech School in Minneapolis, Duane was assigned a project to make intricate carvings on a wooden box. The tool he was using slipped making the tiniest cut in the middle of the side of the cover that he did not intend. Most people would never have noticed it but Duane had to make it right. He turned the box around and made the exact same cut on the opposite side of the cover to make the box uniform. His instructor teased saying, “Duane, if you only had one ear, you would cut the other one off.” He graduated from Vocational Tech School in 1944 and started working at Minnegasco shortly after.
Duane had seen Audrey at a youth event held by Bethesda Free church but was not formally introduced until the picnic at Powderhorn Park July 31,1946. Duane was there with two of his friends and Audrey was there with two of her friends. Audrey said that she was 16 and Duane, to make things seem more legitimate, said that the day before yesterday, he was 19. Somehow it was decided that they would all go for a ride in Duane’s 1946 Mercury, three in the front seat and three in the back . Duane took the group to A&W and treated them all to root beers, 5 cents a piece for a total of 30 cents. After that Duane looked her up in the phone book to ask her on a date to a school basketball game. Audrey’s family loved him, even though he didn’t come from an affluent family, he had the best manners and always showed up wearing a white shirt. Duane Irwin Gruver and Audrey Jean Olson were married by Pastor Prince at Bethesda Free Church, September 24, 1949. Duane said that it was the largest celebration his side of the family had ever seen.
Duane and Audrey saved and saved until they were able to buy a house to start a family. At last they set down roots in a new suburb of Bloomington, 10019 Fremont Avenue South. They were convinced that this house was the best quality and construction in the best neighborhood in their price range. They moved into the new house just in time for the birth of their first son, Douglas Brent Gruver, March 15, 1957. The house was furnished sparsely at first, but quality pieces of furniture were added a little at a time. Duane always kept the house perfectly maintained and the lawn perfectly manicured. He could fix anything. Friends and neighbors would often come to ask his advice or assistance with home repairs or projects. Two more children, David William Gruver born June 20, 1962, and Barbra Jean Gruver born June 21, 1966, were added and raised in the Gruver household.
Duane always drove a new car, but started painting cars as a young man for a hobby. Duane loved cars, loved going to car shows, and shopping for cars. He was always trying to find a good car deal even when he had no plans to buy one. Duane shared this hobby with his sons when they were able to drive and purchase their own cars. His skills proved valuable and rewarding when working with his sons, helping them to fix issues, rebuild and repaint the bodies to look like new.
Duane loved coffee and his coffee breaks. He would always say that the best time of the day was waiting for his coffee to cool. He would go home for a coffee break during his work day. Would enjoy going to the coffee shop to visit with the regulars, would bring his children and then grandchildren with him when they were old enough to sit and eat solid food. Duane would love to talk politics, was stubborn with strong opinions, more eloquently stated, he had “unwavering principles”.
Duane retired from the Gas company when he was 64. He and Audrey spent time entertaining, enjoying their yard, enjoying each other, enjoying their grandchildren and traveling to Maryland, Florida, San Francisco, and Arizona.
Duane was a blue collar worker who saved money all his life, provided for his families every need and ended up having a net worth of a million dollars before entering Good Shepherd Care Center in 2016. While at the center, Duane was in a good mood most of the time, tried to look at the bright side of things, was thankful for the help he received. He joked along with staff members and held his wife’s hand until she passed away in December of 2023. Duane was loved by all.
He is survived by his children, Douglas (Ruth) Gruver of Roseville, MN, David (Cindy) Gruver of Farmington, MN, and Barb (John “Cody”) Wohnoutka of Clear Lake, IA; grandchildren; great-grandchildren; as well as many nieces, nephews and extended family.
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