Duane Grounds was born on May 22, 1924, to C. A. (Dolly) Grounds and Mable Elizabeth (Cooper) Grounds in Hooker. OK. He attended the Hooker schools and graduated from Hooker High School in 1942. After high school, he enrolled at Oklahoma University but felt that he should join the military because the U.S. was involved in World War II. He enlisted in the Army Air Corp and was sworn in on November 11, 1942 as an Aviation Cadet. He graduated from flying school as a P-51 fighter pilot and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on April 15, 1944. He flew 40 combat missions in the European Theater before the end of World War II. After the war, he returned to his home in Hooker in 1946. On June 15, 1947, he was married to Grace Margaret McLaren, the love of his life. In 1949, he went to work as a roustabout in the Hugoton Gas Field. He was promoted several times through the years and in 1965, MAPCO purchased the properties where he worked and they transferred him to Tulsa. He was named Supervisor of Land & Titles at that time and by the time MAPCO sold its Oil and Gas properties in 1985, he was the Vice-President of Gas & Gas Liquids. During his years with MAPCO, he had opportunities he never dreamed of - Thank God that MAPCO was "personnel poor" when he came to MAPCO. He was privileged to serve as President of The Natural Gas Men of Oklahoma in 1980. He retired in 1986, which turned out to be a "short retirement". In early 1987, he received a telephone call from his good friend, Paul Reynolds and he and Paul formed a company, bought some oil and gas properties and for 4 and a half years, he had the time of his life. In 1991, Paul and Duane sold their interest in the company and actually did retire. Duane hated retirement for the first couple of years, but then became involved in volunteer work. He drove for the American Cancer Society for about 8 years, some of which he did before he retired. He worked for 5 years as a volunteer at the Police Department (SW Division) working for 4 detectives putting their cases in the computer system. He was a long time member and leader at Memorial Park Christian Church, serving as an Elder, Treasurer and Trustee. Duane was preceded in death by his wife, Grace, his parents, Mable and Clarence Grounds and his brothers, Don Grounds, Gene Grounds and Larry Grounds. He is survived by: his son, Mike Grounds of Tulsa, his daughter and son-in-law, Debbie and Larry Wheeler of Longview, TX and his grandchildren, Grant Wheeler and Alison Wheeler of Longview, TX; and one sister, Oleta Loring of Holiday Island, AR. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the USO. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, September 12, 2009, at 11 a.m., Woodland Christian Church in Tulsa with interment following at Floral Haven Memorial Gardens.
Published in Tulsa World on September 12, 2009