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Duane Holsten
09/24/1935 — 10/23/2019
From Richland, WA | Born in Stover, MO
Funeral Service
Duane Holsten
Duane Kenneth Holsten, (K7OJ) passed away on October 23, 2019, at the age of 84. He was born on September 24, 1935 in Stover, Morgan Co., Missouri. The first child of three, he grew up on the family farm surrounded by cousins. He attended Stover High School where he was on the basketball team and played a trumpet in the band. He graduated from University of Missouri where he received his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering.
While working at the Nevada Test Site, he met his forever sweetheart, Ruth Ann Hiatt (Holsten). They were married on April 13, 1963 in St. George, Utah. They lived in Las Vegas where their first three sons were born. They then moved to New York State in 1971, while Duane helped build the nuclear power plant at Indian Point for Consolidated Edison. Another son and their first daughter were born in Poughkeepsie, NY, while they lived in Fishkill, NY. They moved to Richland, Washington in 1976 where their last two daughters were born and Duane worked at the Fast Flux Testing Facility until he retired in 2000.
He loved playing basketball and volleyball, using his height to his advantage. He rode dirt bikes with his young boys, enjoyed camping and visiting with his Ham Radio buddies around the world. He loved watching his children and grandchildren perform in their school bands, choirs, dance performances, motorcycle and car racing, gymnastics and sports. He loved his family and had a soft spot especially for his grandchildren. At every family gathering he would look around at all the kids with a smile and tears in his eyes and would say “Look what we have done Mom.”
He is preceded in death by his parents, Otto John Henry Holsten and Lorena Meta Koester. Surviving him are his wife, Ruth Ann (Hiatt) Holsten of Richland, WA; sons, Kenneth Sean Holsten, Brian Glen and Andrea (Shure) Holsten, Daniel Wade and Wendy (Ostboe) Holsten, Thomas Evan and Tammy (Brewer) Holsten; daughters, Rebecca Ann and Alex Pospical, Kristina Lynn and Douglas Weikum, and Allison Gwen and Scott Larson; 21 grandchildren; and his sisters, Loretta White and Donna Grunewald of Missouri.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, November 9, 2019, in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel on Thayer in Richland. Family Prayer at 9:30 am, Funeral Services at 10:00 am, Grave dedication after, at Einan’s Sunset Gardens on the Richland Bypass Highway.
K7OJ, de N7JRA….. Duane and I were friends, co-workers and “nuclear nomads” at the Nevada Test Site…. then in New York to build the Indian Point power plant and finally in Washington to build, operate and shutdown the FFTF. He (as K7OJ) succeeded in convincing me to join him as N7JRA in the ham radio world.
Uncle Duane you were a very great man
We pray your family will find peace and comfort at this time. He was a good man and we enjoyed our visits with him and Ruth Ann.
Brian, I am so sorry for your loss. You and the family are in my prayers.
Sad to hear of Duane’s passing. We had the same church assignment for years. We enjoyed our work together. You are missed.
To the Holsten Family: We are so sorry for your loss..you all have been great neighbors and friends for 43 years.
Duane was a good friend and one of the best engineers I ever worked with. We met sometime in the early-mid 1960’s in that great Nevada sand box, where we built and tested things nobody ever dreamed about. During that tour of duty at Test Cell “C” and the Control Point, we shared many very long (and sometimes frustrating) work days…. but we did succeed in building exactly what we set out to do.
We then, as a group of “nuclear nomads” (mostly from TCC) moved to New York for several years of “culture shock”, while building a civilian commercial nuclear power plant on the Hudson River.
Finally we made it back out west to the Hanford site to build the FFTF.
Sometime during those many “nuclear nomad years”, Duane managed to convince me to share his enthusiasm for ham radio. With his persistent “prodding”, I skated through the FCC exams and get my license. (I think he was more proud of that accomplishment than I was, but eventually, his enthusiasm for amateur radio did infest itself in me.)
I have been blessed to have had my life “collide” with Duane. I’m a better man because of that.
Rest well OM, where there are no more daily four to five hour bus rides to work and no QRM.
Richard J. Smart (“Jake”)
73’s K7OJ de N7JRA
Dearest Ruthanne and family… Our deepest love and condolences for the loss of of your Eternal companion father grandpa brother uncle… May Geavenly Father shower love blessings and comfort during this time… May our promised blessings of. The Plan of Happiness hold your deepest love and memories of your sweetheart till you all meet again… I’m Mckay Paialii’s mom… We will never forget your kind and generous donation towards his mission… FAMILIES ARE FOREVER… LOVE AND MUCH ALOFA’S TO ALL YOUR FAMILIES…
Ruth Ann and family –
I am so sorry to hear of your loss. Duane was always such a gentle soul. I am thankful for the friendship he extended to my father and our family from our shared time in Las Vegas, New York, and then finally here in Richland. I pray for God’s comfort, peace and love to surround you all during this time.
Guestbook for
Duane Holsten