BLAND, Duane

BLAND, Duane Russell

Age 92, of Enon, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, November 22, 2022. He was born on September 6, 1930, in Vigo County, Indiana, the youngest child of Russell and Plessie (Irwin) Bland. When Duane was 13 years old, his family left their farm and moved to Ohio. He graduated from Bath Twp. High School (Class of 1948) and was a proud U.S. Army veteran, having reached the rank of corporal. After 35 years of civil service, he retired from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base as a unit chief who managed computer programmers in developing and installing business systems. He enjoyed spending time with his family and friends, being outdoors, working on carpentry projects, playing bridge and cribbage, and mentoring second and fourth grade students for the Ohio Reads Program. His kindness and handsome face will be missed.

Duane was preceded in death by his parents; son and best bud, Ron; brother and sister-in-law, Paul and Margaret Bland; sister and brother-in-law, Mary and Clyde Eldridge Sr.; and close pals, Don Irwin aka Satchel, Don Penman and Don Linkhart (the 3 Dons). He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Rita; daughter Jayne in Dayton; granddaughter Kait in Springfield; daughter-in-law Peggy in Gahanna; brother-in-law, Jim Heinze; sisters-in-law, Judy Heinze and Bessie Heinze; his dear cousins, nieces and nephews; and friends, Pat Caudill, Mike Bocko, Terry Wicker and Herman Karhoff.

The family will receive friends on Saturday, December 3, 2022, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at Burcham Tobias Funeral Home, 119 E. Main Street in Fairborn. A funeral service officiated by Rev. Joe Hinds will be held at 11:00 a.m. at the funeral home, followed by a burial with military honors at Glen Haven Memorial Gardens Cemetery, 8200 W. National Road (U.S. 40) near New Carlisle. If desired, tributes in Duane's honor may be made to Ohio's Community Mercy Hospice, 1830 N. Limestone Street, Springfield, OH 45503, or Honor Flight Dayton, 200 Canary Court, Enon, OH 45323 - which transports groups of military veterans to see the war memorials in Washington D.C. Condolences can be sent to the family at www.burchamtobiasfuneralhome.com.

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