Duane Berrier

Duane H. Berrier, age 89, died in Farmington, Utah on July 14th, 2022. He was born November 9th, 1932 in Lyman, Wyoming to Leah Jane Voss Berrier and John Lee Berrier. He grew up on a small family farm milking cows and hunting wild game in the Uinta Mountains with his father and brothers. At an early age, Duane was an avid tinkerer and fixer of many different types of electronics and machinery: tractors, bicycles, toasters, washers, dryers, radios, motorcycles, cars, engines, especially his beloved and everlasting “Christmas Tree Truck”.In high school, he studied agriculture, played the french horn, led the band as a drum major, wrote, photographed, and edited the year book, held a state track record, participated in an electronics club, and played on the basketball team. He graduated from Lyman High School at the top of his class. He earned a Bachelors of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Wyoming in Laramie which led to his first engineering job in 1955 at Boeing Airplane Company in Seattle, Washington. That same year he fulfilled his ROTC commitment by enlisting in the Army reserves as a Second Lieutenant commissioned officer and later transferred to the Signal Corps. He also managed the Army Rifle Range and Army Marksmanship Qualification Badges as part of his military service.

Starting in 1958, Duane served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Vienna, Austria and Zurich, Switzerland, where he learned to speak German. He returned from his mission in 1960 and married his waiting sweetheart, LuAnn Turpin, on March 3rd, 1961 in the Salt Lake City Temple. During their first seven years of marriage, Duane and LuAnn lived in the greater Salt Lake City, Utah area and Fontenelle, Wyoming working for the Bureau of Reclamation out of the Salt Lake City Regional Office. He was later transferred to Page, Arizona in 1968 where he was an Electrical Engineer at Glen Canyon Dam for twenty-six years. Some of his many responsibilities included designing the radio communication and security systems inside the dam. He formally retired as an Electrical Engineer in 1994, but his love of meeting new people and sharing his wealth of knowledge and history about the Glen Canyon Dam kept him working as a “damn” tour guide for an additional twenty-two years.

Duane was a devoted husband and father and an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He served in bishoprics and high councils and loved traveling for meetings on the Navajo Reservation. He loved going to the shooting range with his family; he was an excellent marksman. Duane planted a vegetable garden every year; his tomatoes were the best. His greatest joy in life was his family.

Survivors include his 9 children: Janene (Wayne) Southwick of West Jordan, Utah; James D. Berrier of Mesa, Arizona; Michelle (Keith) Hamby of Bettendorf, Iowa; Steven (Patricia Ramirez) Berrier of Tempe, Arizona; Robert (Patricia) Berrier of Renton, Washington; David Berrier of Gilbert, Arizona; Angela (Stephen) Clary of Santa Fe, New Mexico; Wade (Cheryl) Berrier of Farmington, Utah; and Susan Berrier of Sonora, California; sixteen grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Sibling: Dorothy (Charles) James of Springville, Utah; He was preceded in death by his lovely wife, LuAnn; his four brothers; John, Lewis, Kendall, Gordon and his parents. He was well-loved by many and will be greatly missed.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, July 30, 2022, at 11:00AM (AZ) at the Page 1st Ward Chapel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 313 S. Lake Powell Blvd, Page, Arizona. Interment in the Page City cemetery. Services directed by Mosdell Mortuary of Kanab, Utah.

2022-07-18T15:31:22+00:00

7 Comments

  1. Linda Hirst July 20, 2022 at 1:26 am - Reply

    Beautiful obituary. May your family find comfort and peace knowing he is with his Heavenly Father.

  2. Heather Rankin July 20, 2022 at 4:27 pm - Reply

    One of my favorite humans ❤️ What a wealth spring of knowledge and kindness this man possessed. You will be missed!

  3. Catherine Eagle July 21, 2022 at 1:04 am - Reply

    So Sorry to hear of his passing. He was very kind to me and my grandparents when we visited. I will always admire any man who can drive a motor home from Paige, Arizona to Lexington, NC with six children and a pregnant wife, and still arrive sane.

  4. JoAnn Mosier July 21, 2022 at 7:05 pm - Reply

    What a great husband, father, intelligent sweet person Duane was. I remember his old green car. Sympathy and love to LuAnn and his big family. He was a good friend to everyone.

  5. Candice Horrocks July 22, 2022 at 4:48 am - Reply

    It was a privilege to know him. I still cook his posse stew he taught me how to make and I enjoyed being dam tour guides with him. He was there when Trevor proposed to me at the dam and covered my tour so I could get proposed to. Love Duane, Luan, and Angie. Hugs and prayers to this gentle spiritual giant. Heaven is gaining one of the great ones!

  6. Carolyn Grygla July 23, 2022 at 5:48 pm - Reply

    We love and respect this great man. We will always have a piece of him in his beautiful family.

  7. Bryson Jones July 30, 2022 at 7:57 pm - Reply

    Duane was one of the great human beings Totally meek and humble and unassuming. It was a blessing and privilege to know him and all his family.
    Bryson & MonaLaine Jones

Leave A Comment