Duane D. Baxter

Duane D. Baxter, 55, of La Grande, died at his home Nov. 3.

Funeral services will begin at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 7 at the La Grande LDS Stake center on Gekeler Lane. A viewing will run from 6 to 7 Tuesday evening at Loveland Funeral Home.

Duane was born Dec. 4, 1951, to Bryce and Arlene Baxter in La Grande. He was the oldest of seven children. He married Christine Larsen of Pendleton on May 4, 1976, in the Manti Temple in Manti, Utah.

He graduated from North Bend High School and earned his bachelor's and master's of education degrees at Eastern Oregon University. He was a homebuilder in North Bend before moving to La Grande in 1982. He most recently taught math at Union High School where he really enjoyed working with students. He enjoyed sports, the Mariners and the Ducks especially; the outdoors and woodworking, but found his greatest joy in his family. His eight grandchildren were a special joy to him, one of which dubbed him "Grandpa Motorcycle" for the rides he would give them.

Those who knew him say Duane loved to serve in his church and was always prepared to accept the many calls that came his way including serving as a missionary for two years in northern England, becoming a seminary and gospel doctrine teacher, a bishop and most recently a counselor in the La Grande Stake Presidency.

He is survived by his wife, Christine of La Grande; seven children, Andrea and her husband, Ty Draney, of Wyoming Jenny and her husband, Matt Holman, of Missouri, Lindsy and her husband, Ben Kevan, of Wisconsin, Kiley, Scott, Steve and Michael; brothers, Reed, Kevin, Blaine and Chris; and sisters, Kathy and Trisha. He was preceded in death by his parents, Bryce and Arlene, and his daughter, Lori.