Cover photo for Duane Homewood's Obituary
Duane Homewood Profile Photo

Duane Homewood

August 1, 1927 — November 22, 2019

Duane Homewood

Duane ( Buck) Harold Homewood was born in Strawberry Point, Clayton County, Iowa, August 1, 1927, the son of Rufus and Inez DeLano Homewood.  He had two sisters: Vera, just older, and Verla, just younger than he.  In Iowa, his dad farmed as a share cropper, while also working on the railroad, from which he ultimately retired after 28 years

    Buck's mother's uncle Arley DeLano, a railroad worker, which brought him to Frannie, WY,  bought land there in 1903. Bringing a house from Ballard Flats, he put it where Campbell's Frannie Tack Shop is now.  Buck's dad, Rufus, followed, buying land, including where Buck's ranch is now, while continuing to work on the railroad.  When Buck was a baby, his mom, determined to move to Frannie from Iowa, loaded up an old Model T and literally worked her way to Frannie, arriving in 1929.  Buck's dad ran sheep, which meant Buck worked sheep, though he didn't like them much. 

    After attending school through the 8th grade in Frannie, his best friend, Dale Shidler, convinced him to attend school in Cowley, graduating in 1945.  He lived with Shidlers during the week and at home in Frannie during the weekend.  Basketball was his true love in high school, making Cowley a perfect fit.  With World War II still raging,  he joined the Navy and left the day after graduation, turning 18 on the ship carrying him to the Pacific Theater of the war.  Learning he was a farm kid from WY, meaning he could drive, the Seabees immediately snatched him.  He drove into jungles, laying rubber landing mats for planes, start to finish in 3 hours, until he was honorably discharged on June 25, 1946.  

    In the Naval Reserves, clearing back roads throughout northern WY and southern MT during the blizzards of 1949, Kewitt Construction noticed him.  He was first a foreman for them in Billings, MT.  From there he ultimately became the Northwest Regional Supervisor of Kewitt, covering all of the northwest from WA to CA and east to NB and CO.  Ultimately, he retired from Kewitt in the mid '60's as the company supervisor in Caracas, Venezuela.    

    A Kewitt foreman then sold him his ranch in Luther, Montana.  He did his first cattle drive from Luther, MT, to Frannie, WY, in 1968, continuing until shortly before he sold the Luther ranch in 1990,  having bought out his Frannie ranch, which he had been running,  from his mother in 1987.  While construction was his living and forte', his true love was always cows and horses. 

    In 1965 Buck, Chuck, and children Del and Lucky were bapitzed and became members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  Being very service minded, he belonged to every civic organization available: Elks, Masons, Shriners, Rotary,  to name a few.  He was President of the  Red Lodge Riding Club for 5 years and Vice-President for 4.  He frequently provided the stock and helped get the rodeo PRCA sanctioned, along with helping to bring in some big name cowboys.   

    In addition to his parents and sisters, Buck was preceded in death by 2 children, Jimmy and Del; a step-son, James Houston; and 3 wives: Laura Combs;  Charlotte (Chuck) Parent ( to whom he was married 40 years); and after Chuck passed, Elaine Higgins.  

    Buck is survived by daughter, Sandra Blackburn; sons Kevin (Debbie) and Lucky (Tina); adopted daughters of Del, Jaelynn and Jessica Homewood; and 2 step-children  Janet and Rolina (Randy) Houston; and many grandchildren .          

    Funeral services will be held at the Church of Jesus Christ of  Latter-Day Saints in Cowley, WY, on Wednesday, December 4, 2019, at 11:00.  The Cremains will be interred in the Deaver Frannie Cemetery.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Duane Homewood, please visit our flower store.

Guestbook

Visits: 36

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Send Flowers

Send Flowers

Plant A Tree

Plant A Tree