Duane Lee Elsberry

Duane Lee Elsberry, 84, of Marshalltown, passed away Saturday, March 27, 2021 at the Iowa River Hospice House. A private service will be held at a later date. Duane was born to Vernon and Florence Elsberry in Marshalltown on April 27th, 1936. He grew up near Ferguson and was one of eight children. He attended and graduated from Ferguson Community School in 1954. He enrolled in the U.S. Army after high school and served most of his tour in Germany. After his tour in the Army, he returned to Marshalltown where he met Marie Hensley. Duane and Marie still remember meeting through mutual friends at the Marshalltown Dance Hall, which was located on the north side of Marshalltown, where Dave Wright Honda is located. They were married in 1959 and just celebrated their 62nd anniversary. Duane and Marie had three children: Doreen, Raymond and Donald. Doreen (Neale) Eyler lives in Wichita, Kansas, Raymond Elsberry lives in Marshalltown, Iowa and Donald (Karen) Elsberry lives in Pella, Iowa. Duane had four grandchildren: Jacob, Sarah, Brianna and Ashley, six great grandchildren: Apollo, Atlas, Orion, Ethan Alia and Jaxon, which he enjoyed more than life itself. He is also survived by two sisters and two brothers Marilyn Walton, Betty Minnich, Clair Elsberry and Roger Elsberry. Duane farmed near Union, Iowa for 30 years before moving to Marshalltown where he farmed for another 5 years. During the farm crisis in the mid-1980’s, he went to work for the Marshall County Highway Dept. and worked there for 15 years before retiring in 2000. After retiring, he worked on landscaping their property, remodeling their home and playing with his grandchildren. Duane loved riding motorcycles and he and Marie took numerous motorcycle trips across the country on their Honda Goldwing. Duane enjoyed restoring hit-and-miss antique gas engines and John Deere two-cylinder tractors. Duane, along with his two sons and two granddaughters, Brianna and Ashley, participated in numerous WMT Radio Tractor Rides. They all looked forward to the first week in June for this event to happen. He also enjoyed helping his son, Donald, remodel the buildings on his farm as well as riding along and coaching his son, Raymond at his state and national plowing competitions. Preceding him in death are his father, Vernon, mother, Florence, brother, Stanley, sister Shirley and sister, Sharon. Left to cherish his memory is his wife, Marie, his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and is brothers and sisters. Parkinson’s Disease took our father away much too soon; and he will be dearly missed. We find comfort through our faith that dad is resting peacefully with our heavenly Father and awaits our reunion at a future time.