DUANE ORVILLE POORE
DUANE ORVILLE POORE
Duane Orville Poore, son of Orville and Pauline Mae (Stetzler) Poore, was born on the family farm south of Beaconsfield, Iowa. Duane graduated from Beaconsfield high school in 1949. While in high school, he acquired his nickname, ‘Sleepy’ Poore, which was given to him by his friend, Ralph Jones. He was known as Sleepy to those who knew and loved him.
On June 10, 1951, he married his high school sweetheart, Willa W. Crees, in the United Methodist Church in Beaconsfield. They established their home on a farm north of Beaconsfield, where they raised their six children. During their 61 years of marriage, Duane and Willa enjoyed working together on the farm raising livestock, crops and kids.
From 1982 to 1990, Duane served two terms (eight years) on the Ringgold County Board of Supervisors. This was a time that Duane enjoyed very much as he got to interact with the people of Ringgold county and the surrounding counties and he served on various projects and committees. He was particularly proud to serve on the Fifth Judicial Juvenile Court board and helped with the groundbreaking for the new Juvenile Home that was built in Lamoni.
Duane was a member of the United Methodist Church and the Ellston Odd Fellows Lodge. Duane and Willa retired and moved to Mount Ayr in 1998 and established their home on Dunning Avenue. Some of Duane’s hobbies were fishing, hunting and playing cards. Many hours were spent fishing in his big pond that he built behind the house at the farm. He especially loved hunting turkey in the great outdoors. He spent many hours playing cards, especially cribbage, in Ellston, Grand River, at the Mount Ayr Meal Site and at the Dead Beat Club after moving to Mount Ayr. He also enjoyed entering his antique 1955 Massey Ferguson in tractor shows and riding it in parades.
Duane’s pride and joy were his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He and ‘Grams,’ as she was affectionately called, were very active in the lives of their grandchildren. They always knew Grandpa would greet them with a great big ‘squeeze.’ He rarely missed an athletic event, music concert, drama production or other activity that the grandchildren were in and thoroughly enjoyed their successes.
Duane passed away January 24, 2013 in Des Moines, Iowa. He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Doris and Dorine Poore; father and mother-in-law, Michael and Ruth Crees; sisters-in-law, Patricia Crees and Emily Poore, and brothers-in-law, Leo Morgan, Ralph Jones and Willis Crees.
Those left to cherish his memory include his loving wife of 61 years, Willa Poore of Mount Ayr, Iowa; children, Steven (Katherina) Poore of Hillsboro, Oregon, Douglas (Debbie) Poore of Mount Ayr, Iowa, Cynthia (Ken) Stephens of Mount Ayr, Iowa, Clinton (Pamella) Poore of Mount Ayr, Iowa, Ruth Ann Gregg of Mount Ayr, Iowa and Donna (Joe) Warin of Maloy, Iowa; grandchildren, Kimberly (Nick) Reid, Christopher (Elizabeth) Nestlerode, Corissa Nestlerode, Scott (Chandra) Poore, Kristen Poore, Matthew Poore, Josie (Wyatt) Mobley, Aimie (Robby) Larson, Caine Poore, Callie Poore, Braydee Poore, Ryan Gregg, Becca Gregg, Rachel Gregg, Katelyn Warin and Megan Warin; great-grandchildren, Riley Reid, Joshua Nestlerode, Cole Mobley, Kerrigan Mobley, Cody Larson, Tucker Larson and Tate Larson; sister, Darlene Morgan of Mount Ayr, Iowa; brother, Donald Poore of Kellerton, Iowa; sisters-in-law, Barbara Jones of Leon, Iowa and Peggy Crees of Dysart, Iowa; brothers-in-law, Carl (Carol) Crees of Leon, Iowa, Ken (Bonnye) Crees of Pine Top, Arizona and LeRoy (Velma) Crees of Brownstown, Indiana, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
A memorial fund will be designated for handicap transportation at Mount Ayr athletic events.
Services were conducted at Watson-Armstrong Funeral Home in Mount Ayr on Monday, January 28, 2013, with Bill Armstrong officiating. Musicians were The Hynek Family.
Casket bearers included Scott Poore, Matt Poore, Braydee Poore, Caine Poore, Ryan Gregg, Robby Larson, Wyatt Mobley and Christopher Nestlerode.
Honorary pallbearers were Josie Mobley, Aimie Larson, Kristen Poore, Callie Poore, Becca Gregg, Rachel Gregg, Katelyn Warin, Megan Warin, Kimberly Reid and Corissa Nestlerode.
Duane was laid at rest in the Oak Hill Cemetery in Grand River, Iowa.
