Obituary of Duane Means

Duane E. Means, 93, lifetime resident of this area, died Sunday, June 1, 2014, at his home. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 am Thursday, June 5, 2014, at the First United Methodist Church in Iowa City. (Sunday parking ordinance will be in effect for the streets near the church) Graveside services with Military Honors will be held at Oakland Cemetery following the reception after the services. Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 pm Wednesday at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service where a Masonic Memorial Service will be performed at 7pm. Duane Everett Means was born June 19, 1920, in Iowa City, the son of Everett R. and Mildred (Milnes) Means. He attended Iowa City Community Schools, graduating from City High School in 1938. He then attended and graduated from the University of Iowa from the College of Commerce with a B.S. degree in 1942. On March 28, 1942, Duane married Elizabeth "Betty" Keyser. To them were born four children, Caroline, William, Melanie, and Mary. Betty died April 17, 2000. Duane later married Virginia Budde from Clinton, IA on March 10, 2001. During WWII, Duane served in the United States Army. His overseas unit was the 250th. Quartermaster Depot Company assigned to General Patton's Third Army in England, France and Germany. He was later active in the Army Reserves and appointed Reserve Captain in 1954. Duane "grew up" working at Means Bros. Grocery in downtown Iowa City and after the war was employed there until it's closing in December of 1967. From 1968 to 1970 Duane was Secretary of the Iowa City Building and Loan Association. From 1970 until his retirement in 1993, he was employed by First National Bank in Iowa City primarily in the Customer Service Department, retiring as a First Vice President. He was a member of First United Methodist Church, Iowa City Masonic Lodge No. 4, Jessamine Chapter No. 135 of the Order of Eastern Star, Iowa City York Rite Bodies, Davenport Scottish Rite, Iowa City Noon Rotary Club where he was a Paul Harris Fellow, Theta Xi Fraternity, the American Legion, City High School and University of Iowa Alumni Associations, Iowa City Senior Center New Horizons Band and Voices of Experiences. His family includes his wife, Virginia Means; daughters, Caroline Bitterwolf (Tom) of Moscow, ID; Melanie Ostermann (Charles) of Rhinelander, WI; and Mary Means of Iowa City; son, William Means (Connie) of Pleasant Prairie, WI; step-daughter, Diane (Jon) Eastman of Coralville; and step-son, Alan Komrofske of Colorado Springs, CO; 3 grandchildren, 6 great-grandchildren, 2 step-grandsons, and 6 step-great-grandchildren; a sister, Dorothy Ingram (Walt) of Oklahoma City, OK. He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty Means; and his sister, Marian Davis. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in Duane's memory to the First United Methodist Church, Iowa City Masonic Foundation, Iowa City Hopspice or the Iowa City Senior Center for the New Horizons Band. Online condolences may be sent for his family through the web @ www.gayandciha.com. Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service is caring for Duane's family and his services.