Duane Finnegan

Duane Finnegan, 89, passed away on November 7, 2023 in Brighton, Colorado. He was born on October 4, 1934 in Brighton to John Finnegan and Elizabeth Johnson, and soon joined by three younger sisters. He graduated from Brighton High School in 1952 where he had been part of the 1951 and 1952 Colorado State Class A Basketball Championship teams. Duane was an active member of the Brighton Jaycees where he met Donna Needens at an event in Brush, Colorado. Duane and Donna were married on November 26, 1955 in Denver, Colorado.

Duane served in the United States Navy as a machinist from 1957 to 1961, primarily aboard the USS Pictor whose mission was to supply refrigerated foods and dry goods from California to larger ships deployed near Korea, Taiwan, and the Philippines. Beginning in 1961, Duane and Donna managed the Oasis Liquor Store in Broomfield, Colorado, until Duane joined Kraft Foods in 1964. Duane enjoyed a career of 28 years with Kraft, primarily as a sales representative facilitating restaurant and grocery supply to the military bases in Colorado Springs. In 1992, Duane and Donna returned to Brighton, Colorado where Duane worked as a business property assessor for Adams County until retiring in 2002.

Duane cherished riding his Palomino horse, Tawny. For many years while working for Kraft Foods, Duane had many lasting friendships not only with his co-workers but also his competitors in the grocery business. These friends and frenemies played together on a softball team called “Karl’s Meats” in Woodland Park, Colorado. Duane enjoyed gambling with these same frenemies, often joining them at the dog track, craps table, or playing poker in the back of one of their warehouses.

Duane was preceded in death by both of his parents, his wife Donna, and his sister Marlene.

Duane is survived by two sisters, Carol and MaryAnn; his two children, Rodney (Kelly) of Broomfield and Dana (Randy) of Colorado Springs; five grandchildren, Ryan, Elizabeth, Grace, Daniel, and Sean; and two great-grandchildren, Lily and Brooks.

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