Duane Joseph Blau was born September 2, 1934, and raised in Franklin Township near Plain, Wisconsin, to a large and loving family, the son of Anton and Merie (Mohelnitzky) Blau. This was a musical family which resulted in a band called the Squeeze Box Serenaders where Duane sang and played his guitar alongside his brothers Dean, Harley and Alan in 1951. Duane served his country for two years, with his brother Dean, in Fairbanks Alaska. Singing and playing guitar remained his passion, until he met and married Jo Anna Cox on Sept 16, 1961 in Madison, Wisconsin. His passion became his wife and his 4 children and future grand and great grandchildren. Duane followed the family tradition of meat cutting and eventually opened his own market on East Johnson St., called Duane's Model Meat Market where he was known for his world famous Du-Brats. The thing that everyone in his family would agree on, is that Duane makes everyone feel loved. With his kindness, his warmth, his hugs, his laughter and his jokes you are not a stranger for long. He always had his kids laughing, whether from something he said, or something he did. We even named tree roots after him, as he always found a way to trip over them while on so many years of family camping trips. Tree roots will forever be considered 'Bumpa Roots'. The songs he sang to the family and then were passed on to their families, are part of his legacy. As his children grew, he became quite the cabinet maker, furnishing his kids first homes with many personal pieces that he and his wife crafted together and will forever be cherished. Duane of McFarland, Wisconsin, passed away on Sept 24, 2019, at Nazareth House in Stoughton. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Dean, Harlan, and Ted Blau, and sister-law-law Marilyn Maxwell Blau. A Mass of Christian burial was held on October 3, 2019 at Christ The King Catholic Church, 5306 Main Street, McFarland, Wi. 53558. Military Honors Ceremony followed immediately after Mass. (Adapted from an obituary from Cress Funeral Home website).