Duane Oftedahl, 1930-2017

Published 12:03 am Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Duane Q. Oftedahl of Sun City, Arizona, went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017.

Duane, son of Ben and Bertha Oftedahl, was born March 1, 1930, at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester. Duane was baptized on May 4, 1930, at the First Lutheran Church in Stewartville and confirmed May 27, 1945, at First Lutheran in Albert Lea.

Duane Oftedahl

He graduated from Albert Lea High School and attended St. Olaf College in Northfield until his enlistment into the U.S. Navy, where he served on The Valley Forge as an aviation electrician’s mate during the Korean War. Upon discharge from the Navy, Duane attended Lincoln Chiropractic College in Indianapolis, Indiana. Duane practiced chiropractics and taught at Northwestern Chiropractic College in Minnesota.

Duane’s love of music and singing was fulfilled by singing in various church choirs wherever he lived. His greatest joy was singing with the choirs of Coral Ridge Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Grace Bible Church in Sun City.

Duane married Carla Zobrak on Sept. 14, 1968, at New Scandinavia Lutheran Church in Dallas, Wisconsin. Following his retirement in 1985, he worked for Coral Ridge Ministries in Fort Lauderdale for 10 years. In 1995, he and Carla retired and moved to Sun City, Arizona.

Duane is survived by his wife, Carla, of 49 years; his sister, Helen O. Hoeper of Austin; as well as nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Ben and Bertha Oftedahl; sister, Karen E. Shreiner; and his brothers Boyd Oftedahl and Paul Oftedahl.

He donated his body to Science Care and will be buried at The New Scandinavia Lutheran Church in Dallas. No funeral or memorial service will take place.