George C. Duey Jr.

George Commodore Duey Jr., although he was known by most as just Junior, was born in Filmore, Missouri, May 10, 1925, the first son of George and Bessie L. (Fletcher) Duey. He passed away peacefully, March 12, 2019, at Autumn Oaks Caring Center in Mountain Grove, Missouri. He was 93 years, 10 months, and 2 days of age.

Junior served in the United States Army in World War II from March of 1944 until April of 1946, spending five months in Germany. He married Wilma Spurgeon on July 28, 1945. After he was discharged from service, he and Wilma moved to the Fletcher home farm. In 1949, they moved to Wilma’s great-grandmother’s farm, near Dawson, Missouri, to raise their family. Junior and Wilma were surprised with the arrival of their twin girls, Donna and Vonna, on October 11, 1947.

Junior only had an eighth grade education but continued learning throughout his life. He learned many skills through on-the-job training, taking night classes to learn wiring and carpentry skills, and reading as much as he could. His daughters remember him spending hours reading encyclopedias. He was very resourceful. If he didn’t have the tool he needed, it was not uncommon for him to create his own tool. He was a very hard worker, rising early to milk cows before going to work at the shoe factory and then returning home to milk again. His two week vacation every year would be spent putting up hay for his cattle. He also enjoyed putting up a large garden every year. Junior retired from Brown Shoe Company after working there for 36 years.

Junior was part of Friendship Church for most of his life, raising his family there. He enjoyed serving the church by taking care of and working on the grounds and the building throughout the years. He was ordained as a Deacon in 1958.

Besides his parents, Junior was preceded in death by his wife of 74 years, Wilma, one son-in-law, Bill Douglass, three brothers, Eldon, Morris, and Bill Duey, two brothers-in-law, Tip Forrest and Willard Spurgeon, three sisters-in-law, Lena Bell Duey, Connie Spurgeon, and Charlene Forrest.

He is survived by his two daughters, Donna Hazlett (Kirk) of Mountain Grove, Missouri, and Vonna Hilt (Jerald) of Norwood, Missouri, one brother, Don Duey of the state of Arizona, sisters-in-law, Wilda Todd (Tom) of Mountain Grove, Missouri, Gerri Duey of Kansas City, Missouri, Jean Larmer (Bob) of Monett, Missouri, Sonny Spurgeon of Sparta, Missouri, and Wilma Duey of Rogersville, Missouri, seven grandchildren, Steve Douglass (Denise), Rhonda Hurtt (Ben), Lynda Quinn (Karl), Larry Ray Baney (Amy), Leslie Cornelison (Mike), Leasa Hodges (Johnny), and Robyn Slain (Steve), fifteen great-grandchildren, Christian Douglass, Seth Douglass (Treasure), Zach Hurtt, Elynn Reed (Brice), Luke Hurtt, Elizabeth Quinn, Winston Quinn, Corey Baney (Caitlin), Alycia Baney, Taylor Cornelison, Chase Cornelison, John Hodges, Rachel Hodges, Ty Slain, and Lexie Slain, many nieces and nephews, and other relatives, friends, and church family who will dearly miss him.