Duane Paul Coleman

“Duane Paul Coleman, 85, went from the Church Militant to the Church Triumphant on June 6, 2022. Duane was born in Brush, Colorado, on December 21, 1936. It was here that he attended grade school, although his high school years were in Fort Morgan, Colorado. He was a Cub Scout, an Eagle Boy Scout with 3 palms, an Explorer Scout and Order of the Arrow. He delivered the Denver Post for 7 years, the last 2 when his family was the Denver Post distributor. This was the beginning of his business education, since back then the paper carriers had to pay for all newspapers delivered and collect from the customers. Some customers left town without paying. In his junior year of high school, Duane solicited 250 new paper subscribers so that 5 of the carriers were able to take the Denver Post’s trip to the Cotton Bowl. During high school, Duane was selected to the National Honor Society, reached 1st clarinet chair in the band/orchestra, was band president and finished 4th in his class of 104. He then went to Colorado University and obtained a chemical engineering degree. He played solo clarinet as a freshman in the CU marching band, was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and took Navy ROTC, switching to Marine Corps ROTC his junior year. During his freshman year at CU, Duane met the love of his life, Justine Walker. After graduation, they wed in El Paso on August 25, 1958. He then went to Quantico, VA for 9 months of basic training prior to being stationed at Camp Pendleton, CA as a communications officer with Top Secret clearance. He had a secondary Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) of Embarkation Officer in charge of loading the ship with the radio jeeps and vans when his unit was deployed to the Far East. Upon discharge from the Marine Corps, Duane worked as a chemical engineer for El Paso Natural Gas Products Company at their refinery in Gallup, NM. Gallup was both the coldest and the worst place he ever lived. He revamped the order of heat exchangers for the crude oil entering the crude tower, increasing the refinery production by 20 percent. He and his infant family moved to El Paso in October, 1962 and he worked for Geo. S. Thomson Co. as an industrial supply salesman. His father-in-law had a builder’s hardware and fireplace equipment company (Wm. F. Walker Co.) and Duane ran that company upon Mr. Walker’s death. Seven years later, Duane decided to enter the home building business, in which he worked for 19 years. When his mother-in-law (Helen Semple) developed Alzheimer’s, he quit home building to work with Justine at Sun Travel. They had several corporate clients and were awarded both GSA government and Dept. of Defense military contracts in addition to the many vacation clients they served. He had enjoyed retirement since 2009. Duane was a member of First Presbyterian Church, serving as both Deacon and Elder, though he attended Western Hills United Methodist Church for the last few years. He served on membership committee of the El Paso Chamber of Commerce, small business committee of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, was a Boy Scout leader, was president of the Rotary Club of West El Paso, a member of the Southwesterners Club and the Del Norte Club. Duane was preceded in death by his parents Paul Ross Coleman and Blanche Beatrice Messenger Coleman, brothers Robert Eugene and Dean Coleman, sisters Lucille Davey and Vera Gabriel. He is survived by his loving wife Justine, sons Keith Walker Coleman (Lee) and Paul Justin Coleman (Kathleen) and daughter Kristen Lynn Coleman Cox (David), as well as 10 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. A viewing will be held Monday, June 13th from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Western Hills United Methodist Church, 524 Thunderbird Dr., El Paso, TX 79912 followed by a memorial service from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., with the Rev. Lynette Meyer officiating. A private family burial service will immediately follow at Memory Garden of the Valley on McNutt Road. In lieu of flowers you may donate to the charity of your choice.”

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.MartinFuneralHomeWest.com for the Coleman family.