Marvin "Duke" Duchrow, of Antigo, died Friday, February 10, 2023, at Good Shepherd Nursing Home in Seymour. He was 92 years old.

His life was simple, but he was not ordinary. He was more than this bucket of facts. He was "What you see is what you get." He was made of directness, laughter, common sense, Antigo loam and a tablespoon of impatience. He held contradictions. He was direct but kind, and funny but tough. His love was present but below the surface. He could detect common sense and nonsense and make both. With him, friendship was eternal. He had an easy laugh and an impish growl. He'd certainly give us Duke's famous eye roll at this long obituary. Too bad, we love you, Pop.

He married his remarkable Florence. She was his fount of patience, kindness, and quiet strength. At times, he needed all three. Florence was the volume knob when he played life too loud. They gardened and shared the harvest. Together, they bled Old Wisconsin Red.

His struggle with alcohol was a long-traveled road. He went to the Nitschke Center, joined A.A. and found "It". He made his amends and gained many years of unshakeable sobriety. He credits this to his sponsor, Aught, his family, "Sam" Miller, his Menominee Nation and Wisconsin A.A. friends, and Sunday Morning Comin' Down. His A.A. program service to others was inexhaustible.

Work tools liked his hands. He could fix, invent and make most things. He was a brilliant machinist. He lived as an earth steward and abhorred waste. Soil, sky, and water was sacred to him. Trees were friends. He planted hundreds of them. He said, "Give Mother Nature a little help." He knew God put humans here to care for animals, the earth and each other. He cherished birds, dogs, hard work, homemade sauerkraut, campfires and stars. He loved hearing Brewers baseball on the radio. His dill pickles and pickled cabbage were of legend. His patriotism was built of many good, kind, small actions not tongue-wagging and mere flag-waving. He marched in most every Phlox Memorial Day parade. He and his brother Bob proudly participated together in the Old Glory Honor Flight.

Community service was democracy in action. He toiled alongside the hard-working people of his Phlox community to build ballparks, swimming holes and establish a Fire Department. An orange sign posted in his driveway warned "Work Ahead." And dammit, there always was.

The day he left, his family and friends gave him the love of human hands and kisses on his warm forehead. He fluttered away to the old-time country music of Buck Owens, Johnny Cash, Charlie Pride and Merle Haggard that he taught us to love. His dear wife Flo nudged him out onto the dance floor to "Waltz Across Texas", and arm in arm they whirled away under the golden "red scarf" of the sky. We miss his rugged love, laughter and caring growl. "The Eagle has landed." Special thanks to his dear friend, John Chriske for years of help, and all the staff (Duke's Angels) at Good Shepard, Seymour, WI and his ThedaCare Hospice team for their loving care.

He was born on December 21, 1930, in Antigo, a son of the late Leo and Lena (Hohensee) Duchrow. He married Florence Waldvogel on May 29, 1954, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Phlox. She preceded him in death on February 18, 2006.

He attended Sunny Side and Peace Lutheran grade schools and was a graduate from Antigo High School, class of 1948. Duke was drafted to the United States Army and served from 1952 to 1954 in 472nd Company B SCAWAF in Saint Nazaire, France. He worked in Milwaukee and Waukesha at Wisconsin Centrifugal Foundry as a machinist. In 1970, he and Flo moved to Phlox where he operated Phlox Garage for 17 years. He also worked for Waukesha Bearings until his retirement in 1994.

Duke belonged to St. John Lutheran Church in Mattoon. He was a member of the Devine-Menting American Legion Post 525 in Phlox. He worked with the Norwood Advancement Association, was the road sign coordinator for the Town of Hutchins, and a volunteer for the Norwood Fire Department. Duke was a leader for the Phlox Flames 4-H group.

Survivors include three daughters, Vicky Weiland of Shiocton, Cheri Duchrow of Neenah, and Marlene (Jeff) Ver Voort of Seymour; a son, Steve (Janet Berkes) Duchrow of DeKalb, Illinois; a brother, Ronald Duchrow of Antigo; six grandchildren, Mandi (Mike) Bytnar, Rachel (Jesse) Guyette, Sara (Jim) Twiddy, Alyssa Triano (Chad Le Capitaine), Megan (Talon) Heinemeyer, Nick Ver Voort; eight great-grandchildren, Matthew and Mary Bytnar, Alex Andrekus, Otto Triano-Marx, Dezyl and Mavryk Le Capitaine, Dakotah Heinemeyer, and a baby Heinemeyer due in April; a sister-in-law, Barbara Waldvogel of Phlox; two brothers-in-law, Ronald (JoAnn) Waldvogel of Green Bay and Paul (Mary Ann) Waldvogel of Aniwa; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 51 years, Florence Duchrow; parents Leo and Lena (Hohensee) Duchrow; mother and father-in-law Rose and Anton Waldvogel; son-in-law, Bruce Weiland; grandson, Travis Barke; sister, Anita Miller; brothers, Arnold, Robert, and Norman; sisters-in-law, Verona, Edna, Lois and Gayle Duchrow, Joan and Kathleen Waldvogel and Lorraine Duffy; brothers-in-law, Louis (Sam) Miller, Gordon and James Waldvogel and George Duffy.

A funeral service will be held Friday, March 3, 2023 at 1 p.m. at the Bradley Funeral Home with Rev. Dave Pleier officiating. Burial will take place at St. Joseph Cemetery in Phlox.

Visitation will be held on Friday from 10 a.m. until the time of service at the funeral home.

Military honors will take place at the funeral home immediately following the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the family will be used for AVAIL, Domestic Violence Center, Antigo, and The Jackie Nitschke Center in Green Bay.

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