Duane V. Houser, 73, of 1529 E. Clairemont Ave., died Tuesday, November 21, 2000 at Sacred Heart Hospital.\r\nHe was born on September 22, 1927 to James T. and Audrey (Van Duyn) Houser in Menomonie. His family moved to the town of Union where he grew up. He graduated with the Eau Claire Senior High School class of 1945. \r\nDuane married Jean A. Starin on July 23, 1946 at Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ in Eau Claire, they celebrated 54 years of marriage this past July.\r\nHe entered the U.S. Army Medical Corp in 1946 and served in Korea. Duane was an operating room technician, working in the 11th Evacuation Hospital Units. He was a sergeant at the time of his honorable discharge in 1952.\r\nDuane was a City of Eau Claire Police Officer for seven years before taking a job with the WI State Highway Department. At the time of his retirement in 1989, he had worked for the State for over 30 years, having served as the Chief of Right of Way for the Department of Transportation.\r\nDuane was a member of The Lutheran Church of The Good Shepherd, a member of the church choir and the Board of Deacons. He was Cub Master and Scout Leader for Troop #142 at Good Shepherd. He was a member of VFW Post #305, a past Master of Eau Claire Masonic Lodge #112 F&AM, and a former member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Eau Claire.\r\nAll work stopped for Duane when Green Bay Packers played! He also enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping and being a Rock Hound. Duane was an avid league bowler.\r\nSurvivors include his wife, Jean; son, Don Houser of Dallas, TX; daughter, Sue (Lynn) DeLong of Wisconsin Rapids; a granddaughter, Rebecca DeLong; and a grandson, Brian (Michaela) DeLong, both of Minneapolis, MN.\r\nHe was preceded in death by his parents and granddaughter Gayle Houser.\r\nFuneral services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd with Pastor John E. Hosmann officiating. Burial will be in Lakeview Cemetery where VFW Post #305 will conduct military rites. Friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at Lenmark-Gomsrud-Linn Funeral Home and an hour prior to services Saturday at the church. There will be a Masonic Memorial Service at 7 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.

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