Millard Duane Summers

Millard Duane Summers passed away January 31, 2024, in Laramie, Wyoming.

Duane was born in 1944 near Hugo, Colorado, where he spent his early childhood. He graduated high school in Limon, Colorado in 1962.

In 1965, he married Jane Denese and was drafted into the US army shortly thereafter, being stationed in Germany attached to the 101st Airborne. Upon his discharge in 1968 the pair moved back to Denver, Colorado and the first of their children James was born in 1970, followed in 1972 by their daughter Laura, and in 1979 by John.

Duane spent part of his youth drag racing and his experiences during this time formed his lifelong love of cars. He was a member of the United Methodist Church. He attended university in Denver, attaining an Associates degree in business.

When the Alco-Duckwall corporation built a new store in 1980 in Laramie, he was promoted and chosen to be the manager after many years of work for that company. He managed this store for many years and after leaving that company worked further in retail until he attained a real estate license.

Upon becoming a real estate agent, he sold manufactured homes for Aspen Homes for many years, providing families sound advice and conscientious customer service, which was very important to him.

He continued to work part-time after retirement at several jobs including for Enterprise car rental in Springfield Missouri where the couple lived until the passing of Jane in 2019.

In his waning years, he moved back to Laramie, where John's wife Andrea helped care for him until his passing. The family is deeply grateful to her for all that she did for him.

He was a careful, courteous man, who both gave good advice and was wise enough to listen to good advice. His strong work ethic made him a solid role model for his children.

In addition to working on his cars, he would take his children to gather firewood and camp in the forests around Laramie, along Happy Jack from which they learned to appreciate nature. He believed in good deeds large and small, and was always ready to help neighbors and friends.

He is the beloved father to his three children, James, Laura, and John. He was the youngest of four with his siblings Marlene, Grafton and Charles preceding him.

He was a good man, and will be missed.