Friday, January 22nd, 1932 - Sunday, April 10th, 2022
A Celebration of Life for Rev. Duane F. Roever, age 90, of Hennessey, is 10:00 am, Friday, April 15, 2022 at World Harvest Church with Pastor Brad Mendenhall and Pastor P.J. Stewart officiating. Burial with Military Honors provided by the United States Air Force will follow in Enid Cemetery under the direction of Ladusau-Evans Funeral Home. The family will receive friends from 6:00 ~ 7:00 pm on Thursday, April 14th at the funeral home.
Rev. Duane Frederick Roever was born to Herbert Henry John and Clara Elizabeth Roever, nee Eckhardt, January 22, 1932 on the family farm in the Horner School District of Enid, Ok. When the doctor asked Clara his name he exclaimed “Oh we have a little Fritzy” and thereon was known to his family and childhood friends as Fritz or Fritzy. He made his eternal journey home April 10, 2022.
Throughout his life he loved to fish. He spent many hours of his youth walking the banks of Skeleton Creek in pursuit of a catch. As an adult he shared his love of fishing with his family. Camping and fishing adventures were a favorite weekend activity that resulted in fish fry’s at home when the adventures had come to a close. Duane became a fisher of men in 1972 when he was called into the ministry. He continued his fishing adventures on many a farmers’ pond in the communities he served. Sometimes his adventures weren’t about fishing but about the solace it brought from a busy and demanding life.
Music was his lifelong hobby. He was a walking juke box and would burst into song in an instant when a thought or phrase provoked him. As a boy he learned to play the piano by ear. In later years his wife, Esther, gave him piano lessons as a Christmas gift so he could learn to read the music. He played the trumpet in the Enid Plainsmen marching band during high school and sang in the choir. He sang in barber shop quartets, church choirs, and theatrical productions. He played the harmonica, Ukulele, and autoharp but loved the challenge of any instrument. He once made his sister mad when she brought home a tuba to learn to play and he beat her to the task. She was so furious with the situation that the tuba was promptly returned to school. His siblings presented him with an autoharp the year he graduated from seminary at Phillips University. He cherished that instrument and often played it in private but also for an impromptu addition to a message from the pulpit.
While in high school he became a Boy Scout (BSA), was accepted into the Order of the Arrow, earned the achievement of Arrow of Light, and the rank of Eagle Scout. He later became a volunteer with the organization when his sons were young.
In 1949 he graduated from Enid High and went on to serve in the United States Air Force from 1951 to 1955. He loved airplanes and could spend hours watching them perform touch and go maneuvers. His service took him to Florida where he joined the fast pitch softball team as a left hand pitcher earning him the nickname “Lefty”.
After his stint in the USAF he returned to Enid and work for civil service in the electrical instrument shop honing his skills on electrical devices.
He met the love of his life, Esther, at choir practice. At the urging of fellow choir members he asked her if he could escort her home and so he did. They married July 28, 1957. To this union came 2 sons and a daughter. In 1965 they moved to Alamogordo, NM, with civil service. While in NM he earned his undergraduate degree from New Mexico State University. His first church assignment was the joint pulpit of Tularosa and Cloud Croft, NM. From there he served Lorraine, TX while attending seminary at Southern Methodist University. A year later he was moved to Hitchcock, OK and completed his Masters of Divinity at Phillips University in Enid, OK. After graduating seminary, he served the OK churches of Thomas, Fay, Key, Hennessey, Bartlesville, and Canton. He preached his last sermon at the age of 89 on Easter Sunday.
He didn’t know a stranger and loved everyone with Jesus’ kind of love. If you knew him you were his friend.
He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Esther Delane Roever (nee Roberts); and four siblings, Calvin, Marion, Leroy and Florene. He is survived by two sons, Herb Roever and wife Jeri (nee Clifton), of Amhurst, TX; Joe Roever and wife Sandra (nee Goforth), of Okeene, OK; a daughter, Delane Kehnemund and husband Daniel, of Okeene, OK; eight grandchildren, Candice Putman and husband Derek, of Springer, NM; Kara Hill and husband Brandon, of Sudan, TX; Kimberly Chemistruck and husband Peter, of Amhurst, TX; Daniel Roever and wife Pa Nhia, of Hampton, VA; Ashley Roever and Josh McSpadden, of Oklahoma City, OK; Amilee, Keyle and Lex Kehnemund, all of Okeene; eleven great-grandchildren, Dace, Tenly, Hunter, Wesson, Bowen, Wynonna, Carolynn, Shawn, Dylan, Olivia and Oliver.
Memorial contributions in Duane’s name may be made to the Christian Union Church Camp, Camp Clearview with Ladusau-Evans Funeral Home serving as custodian of the funds.
Condolences may be made to the family online at www.LadusauEvans.com. Ladusau-Evans has been serving the families of the Enid Community and surrounding areas for over 40 years with compassionate service and dedication. They provide families with an open door policy. Feel free to contact them 24 hours a day. Visitation Hours: 8:00 am – 9:00 pm daily, 2800 N. Van Buren, Enid, OK 73703. Call: (580) 233-1400.
Obituaries are posted, in part, due to the generosity of The Commons.
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