Obituary: DuWayne Maronen

DuWayne Francis “Dewey” Maronen, 69, passed away suddenly at his home near Eagle Harbor, MI on September 10. He was born on February 28, 1949. DuWayne was a 1967 graduate of Calumet High School.

After high school, he was drafted into the Army where he served his time in Vietnam. His time of service was from August 1968 to July 1970. While in Vietnam he was awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. He returned home as a disabled Veteran, however he did not seek help from the VA system until shortly before he retired from the U.S. Postal Service in 2016. He worked for the U.S. Postal Service for 35 years in Las Vegas, Nevada, serving 20 years delivering mail, and 15 years as a Postal Clerk. He was very much loved by his co-workers and developed a family like relationship with his friend whom he called his “guardian angel”, Sandy Turner and her family. Towards the end of his retirement he suffered a stroke and Sandy then told him it was time for him to come home. During the health care needed for his stroke, he then sought the help of the VA system, and the people at the VA asked him “Where have you been all these years?” DuWayne simply replied that he felt his wounds were not as severe as those of his other “brothers in arms”, so he simply did not apply and went to work.

Dewey, as he was fondly known, called home and then came for a month long visit to his brother Greg and sister-in-law Denise Maronen’s home. It was then that he expressed his wishes to move home after 32 long years away. He told Denise “I wish to move home, find a nice women, have a relationship like you and Greg, and live on the shores of Lake Superior, just like you two.” Denise told him promptly that a wish at their home is a prayer. Four days later he and Greg ran into a woman DuWayne dated 40 years prior, and from that day forward, he and Annie Kipfer were together and inseparable. DuWayne headed back to Las Vegas, packed up and moved home on September 10 of 2016. He and Annie were married on June 10 of 2018, at the home of his brother Greg and Denise.

Dewey’s death came exactly two years to the day that he moved home. We, who have been blessed with knowing and loving him again will miss his heart of gold, his sense of humor and always remember that he would literally give the shirt off of his back to anyone who was in need. He loved to take pictures with his new camera, sit by the lake at their home near Eagle Harbor and watch the wildlife, the lake and especially the ore boats as they went by. He also loved to go and listen to the music as played by Wende Jonas and Scott Perkins.

DuWayne is survived by his wife of three months, Annie and her daughter Ashley (Jason) , his mother Elaine Pavolich, his brother Greg (Denise) Maronen, sister Cheryl (John) Hendra, niece Lori, nephew Chris, his brother Larry (Judy) Maronen, nieces Amber and Molly and several great nephews and his mother –in-law, Alice Kipfer.
And several great nephews and great niece, and his mother-in-law.

DuWayne was proceeded in death by his step-dad, Rudy Pavolich, and his birth father, W. Francis Maronen.

DuWayne was very proud of his service to his country and was scheduled to attend the U.P. Honor Flight on September 18th of this year. We want to thank all of the friends who sent cards and thoughts to him to receive at that honor flight, and now must gratefully accept that he has taken his final flight home to be with the Lord.

We will dearly miss him, but we and his friends will forever cherish the time we had with him upon his move home.

A memorial service will be held on Monday, September 17, 2018 at 1:00 pm at the Erickson Crowley Peterson Funeral Home with Deacon Art Stancher to officiate. Friends may call at the Erickson Crowley Peterson Funeral Home on Monday, September 17, 2018 from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm.

Burial will take place with Military Honors in the Veterans Section of Lake View Cemetery.

Online condolences for the family may be left at www.ericksoncrowleypeterson.com

The Erickson Crowley Peterson Funeral Home in Calumet is assisting the family with the arrangements.