William Duhs

Former Marvel resident William Lewis Duhs died Thursday, May 24, 2012, of kidney failure. He was 86.

Mr. Duhs was born to Carl and Elmorea “Marie” Duhs on Jan. 17, 1926, in Peoria, Ill. After graduating from Woodruff High School in Peoria in 1944, he joined the Army Air Corps. He served until the end of the war and was honorably discharged in 1945.

In 1946, Mr. Duhs married Gloria Tippett in Peoria. The couple had four children. The marriage later ended in divorce. Mr. Duhs graduated from Bradley University in 1950 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He worked as an insurance adjuster and claims investigator and manager.

Mr. Duhs’ son Jeff Duhs struggled with asthma while living in the Midwest, so in 1959, the family moved to Denver. In 1967, Mr. Duhs married Betty Williams. Ten years later, the couple moved to Marvel, where they built a home.

They owned and operated Frontier Adjusters in Durango, Cortez and Farmington from 1977 to 1992, when they retired from the insurance business.

Mr. Duhs was an active, longtime member of Hesperus Baptist Church. “Bill was a devout Christian who was committed to his faith, having done missionary work with Betty in Ecuador for two years and two missionary trips to India with International Crusades,” his family said.

In 1988, Mr. Duhs and his wife traveled to Mexico with Food for the Hungry and helped build a compound.

“He was an expert carpenter who built numerous homes and churches in Illinois and Colorado and also was an avid outdoorsman,” his family said.

Mr. Duhs was proceeded in death by his brothers Robert and James Duhs and sons Jeff Duhs and Gayle Williams.

He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Betty Duhs of Marvel; son Tom Duhs of Colorado Springs; daughters Barbara Trompeau of Littleton and Laurie Wasserburger of Lusk, Wyo.; as well as 12 grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, June 3, 2012, at Hesperus Baptist Church. The Rev. Fred Dallas will officiate.