Duane R. Boyken

Duane R. Boyken, 93, of Mesa, Arizona, formerly of Titonka, passed away after a very short illness on Thursday, October 23, 2025, at Hospice of the Valley Inpatient Unit of Friendship Village in Tempe, Arizona.

Memorial services are pending and will be held in early spring of 2026 at Immanuel Lutheran Church near Titonka with inurnment in the church cemetery. Announcement of date and time will be forthcoming.

Duane Richard Boyken, the son of Henry and Schwantje Resine (Loeschen) Boyken, was born on June 30, 1932, on the family farm near Woden. He attended country school near Woden and later high school in Titonka. He graduated from Titonka High School in 1949 and began helping farmers in the area. He was hired by Hattendorf Construction Company, Ocheydan, Iowa, in 1951. Their specialty was building churches and he joined one of the crews until he was drafted into the U.S. Army on April 9, 1953. He received his basic training and Specialized Training in Radio Communications at Camp Roberts in California. From California, he was sent to serve in the Korean conflict until his release on April 2, 1955, reaching the rank of Corporal. He served with distinction and received the following Medals and awards: United Nations Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and Overseas Bar. On June 2, 1957, Duane married Shirley Jean Ostermann at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Titonka. To this union three children were born: Richard Duane (stillborn), Michelle Marie, and Brian Leslie. Following his return from Korea he resumed employment with Hattendorf Construction Company, building churches in Titonka, IA (Immanuel church) Garner (Zion), Belmond (Methodist church), Klemme (church remodel and new parsonage), LeSueur, MN (Methodist church), Titonka, IA (Good Hope Lutheran church remodel and new addition). During these projects, he was given the opportunity to learn the masonry trade and began his life-long joy of working with brick, block and stone along with cement projects. The family spent a few years living & working in Cherokee, IA, where he worked for several contractors on primarily industrial and commercial projects, schools and other large structures. In 1963 the family returned to northern Iowa and he developed his own Masonry Company and enjoyed having many employees through the years. The next move was to Mesa, AZ in 1985, where he continued his craft and owning his own Masonry Contracting Company. He was proud to have had the opportunity to complete many commercial projects among them being the Claim Jumper Restaurant which was built completely of California River Rock. He was very gifted with innovative brick-laying ideas and very skilled at his craft. His expertise and advice were very sought after even after he retired just a few years ago.

Duane was active in the Lutheran Church and former member of St Peter Lutheran Church in Mesa and held many offices through the years. He was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church and was very proud of having grown up in this church. He also had been active in the American Legion Post and VFW in Buffalo Center. He had served as President of the Board of Directors of Timely Mission Nursing Home for several years.

Survivors include his wife, Shirley of Mesa, AZ; daughter, Michelle of Mesa, AZ; a son, Brian (Yolanda) of Beverly Hills, CA; his grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Felipe (Paola) and their sons, Lucas and Ludwig of Mesa, AZ; John of Show Low, AZ; Antonio (Leeann) and their children, Luna, Parker, and Diego of Gilbert, AZ.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Schwantje Boyken; his father and mother-in-law, John and Lucille Ostermann; his son, Richard; brothers, Roger and Dean Boyken; his sister, Louise; sister-in-law, Neoma Boyken; brother-in-law, Virgil Heifner; his nieces, Darla Boyken, Debra and her husband Bruce Kamp, and niece Valerie.