Duane A. McCarrel passed away on September 2, 2023 following a valiant three year battle with cancer. He was born on April 17, 1955 in Casper, Wyoming to Bill and Eileen McCarrel. He graduated from Kelly Walsh High School in 1973 and the University of Wyoming in 1977 with a degree in Civil Engineering. He received his Masters in Finance from UW a few years later.
Duane married Dana Brekken of Powder River, Wyoming in January of 1987. They lived in Casper, Wyoming where all three of their children were born, until 1995 when they moved to Sugar Land, Texas while Duane was working for Unocal. They moved to Lafayette, Louisiana in 1997 then back to Sugar Land in 1999. Jakarta, Indonesia became their home in 2005 where they spent the next seven-and-a-half years. Duane went to work for Marathon Oil during that time and then went to work in Kurdistan northern Iraq for two years in 2011-2013. Following a brief time working in Equatorial Guinea West Africa, where he and Dana moved in late 2013, they returned to Sugar Land and Duane went to work for Surge Energy. He retired in Oct 2019.
Duane loved to hunt, fish and backpack in the wilderness areas of Wyoming and Yellowstone.
He was a long time player and Little League Baseball coach in Wyoming, Texas and Indonesia and took up pickle-ball in retirement. Duane and his family were blessed with the chance to travel many places in the world including Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Bali, Komodo Island, Istanbul, Mexico and Italy to name just a few. Duane also loved to kayak and participated in the Buffalo Bayou Regatta for several years. Duane was an accomplished guitarist and loved to attend concerts, especially in small acoustic venues.
Duane loved the lord and was an active member of Houston’s First Baptist Church in Sugar Land. He volunteered his time with their Men Serve group helping widows, the elderly and those in need.
Duane was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Dana; children, Jarrod of Denver, Colorado, Kelsey (Daniel) of Denver, Colorado, and Sawyer of Laramie, Wyoming; his brother, Ken (Cathy) of Yuma, Arizona and sister, Renee of Casper, Wyoming.
A celebration of life will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, September 8, 2023 at Houston’s First Baptist Church – Sienna campus located at 4309 Sienna Parkway Missouri City, Texas, 77459. A memorial service will also be held in Casper, Wyoming in the spring.
Donations in Duane’s name may be made to Second Mile Mission Center, 1135 Hwy 90A,
Missouri City, TX 77489.
