Duane W. Holden

Duane William Holden left this mortal realm on August 6, 2023 at the age of 69 after battling pancreatic cancer and its horrific effect on his liver. He was born on New Year’s Day 1954 in Richland, Washington, the first baby to be born in the new year at Cadillac General Hospital, which resulted in his parents, Ross and Ruth Holden, being gifted with baby swag. Duane was the fourth of seven children in the family, and third son. While growing up in Richland, school was difficult for him, and he suffered from stuttering and some feelings of being inferior. This helped him develop a hard working ethic to fulfill his potential, and he later eliminated stuttering. Growing up in Richland, Electric City near the Grand Coulee Dam, and North Bonneville, Washington, Duane graduated in 1974 with his younger sister, Paula, from Stevenson High School. After graduating, Duane moved to Portland, Oregon, where he worked for Oregon Transfer for seven years and for Holman Distribution as a forklift operator and in supervision. He retired from Holman after working for them for 44 years, through different ownership. He never took a day off for sick leave or vacation. Duane loved to ride motorcycles, but gave it up after an accident. After that he drove a Dodge pickup truck, but for most of his adult life was comfortable walking long distances and using public transportation, and was very good at it. He never could afford, but would have loved to have bought, a 1966 Chevy Camaro. Duane was an avid NASCAR fan, and his favorite drivers were Richard Petty, and Dale Earnhardt, Sr and Jr. While looking at a racing magazine he saw an advertisement for a grill shaped like a racecar engine, and said he wanted one. After buying one with the help of his daughter, he had to lug the heavy grill up steep stairs to his apartment. With the help of Andrea’s life partner, Nathan Campbell, they were able to get it to his small deck where he enjoyed showing it off to his friends. Duane enjoyed fixing bikes and other things for friends and family. Some of his hobbies were camping and fishing with his best friend, Ryan, at Green Peter Lake in Sweet Home, Oregon. Energetic, sarcastic, hard-working, loyal, funny, reliable, and giving are all words that family and friends use to describe Duane. Listening to his stories was a treat, including about his first time flying, which was a small plane his boss owned and allowed him to steer. He was a great role model of being responsible for your own actions. He kept promises, and even as he was dying, ensured Andrea was with him before he took his last breath, as she had requested. Duane is the loving and devoted father of Andrea Moore and Alexander Holden. He also enjoyed being a grandfather, and cherished his final days with Andrea’s children, who called him “PawPaw.” Duane was affectionately called “Pops” by his daughter and bonus son, Nathan Campbell. In his final months, after the cancer diagnosis, Andrea and Nate provided him with fun outings, long talks, games with grandkids, and created opportunities for much laughter, including visits from some siblings and a good friend. Duane was preceded in death by his parents Ruth and Ross Holden; his youngest sister, Diana, and her husband Curt Fitch; brother-in-law Bill Wilson, niece Kristi Wilson; nephew Cory Edmunds, and brother-in-law, Richard Edmunds. He is survived by: son Alexander; daughter Andrea (Nate); grandchildren Tyler, Brayden, Emma, and Bentley; siblings Patricia Edmunds, Clifford (Sylvia) Holden, Bradley (Jean) Holden, Paula Wilson, and Steven (Jennifer) Holden. Interment will be at Sunset Gardens Memorial Niches in Richland, WA, date TBD. Duane left a very loving legacy, and he will be missed very much

Duane W. Holden

January 1, 1954 - August 6, 2023