Duane K Flick

Duane K. Flick, 83, Bismarck, passed away peacefully with family members by his side at CHI St. Alexius Health on Wednesday, Sept 23, 2015. Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, September 28, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 106 Osage Avenue, Bismarck, with Rev. Pam Power officiating. Burial will be held at 1 p.m. Monday at North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan. Visitation will be held Sunday, 5-7 p.m. Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck with prayer services at 7 p.m. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the services at the church.Duane was born in Cooperstown, ND, March 7, 1932, to Perl and Sigrid Flick. He moved to West Fargo at a very young age, graduating from West Fargo High School in 1950. In 1951 he married his high school sweetheart, Phyllis Burner, whom he met in the second grade, and for the next 64 years they filled their lives with love and laughter. They created wonderful memories with their families and friends at their family cabin on Middle Cormorant in Minnesota and later with their own cabin on Brush Lake. Duane and Phyllis enjoyed many happy adventures motorcycling across the United States and Canada, making sure at the end of the day to find a place to dance the night away.Duane loved his country and served for four years in the Navy during the Korean War. In later years, he and Phyllis enjoyed many Navy reunions with their friends around the United States, including the one Duane organized in Medora.In 1962 Duane graduated from Moorhead State and started his life long career with the Lung Association. Starting in 1969 he served as the Executive Director of the Lung Association of North Dakota for 23 years. After his retirement from the Lung Association, Duane issued licenses for the North Dakota Respiratory Therapist Association. He was a member of the Elks, VFW, American Legion and the Bismarck Optimist Club, where he not only served as president, but he and Phyllis also volunteered many years with the Optimist Club in Medora; including building the playground. Family and friends were blessed with the creations from Duane's hands; He built treehouses, sandboxes, birdhouses, and decks. Many home projects were completed with his imagination, creativity and grit. He loved to use his cleverness as he created ways to fix and salvage anything. He recycled and found uses for every nail, screw or board. Duane was an honest man, one of great integrity. He had such wit, and loved to laugh and tell his jokes, he was gifted as a great story teller. But his greatest gift of all was he taught his children to love their spouses with all their hearts just as he loved Phyllis with the most unconditional love. Family and friends knew there was something extra special about the love Duane and Phyllis showed and shared with each other, it is cherished by all who witnessed it. Duane's family is his precious legacy, loving each one for their individual talents, encouraging them to be and do their best. His grandchildren were his absolute pride and his great grandchildren were his absolute joy. Duane is survived by his wife Phyllis, the love of his life for over 64 years; Duane's oldest son Ron (Janet) and their family, daughter, Summer (Mark Peterson), their children Piper and Bennett, son, Josh (Ani) their children Hendrix and Harlow, son, Curt (Annie) their children Jacob, Isaac, Joe and Molly, son, Cole (Missy) their children Madison and Marley, and many more foster children whose lives were touched by "Grandpa Flick": Duane's daughter, Nancy (Joe Woodmansee) and their family, daughter Mandy and son Brian (Lindsay) their children Bradley and Lucy; Duane's youngest son Dan (Doreen) and their daughter, Jessica her children Justice, Julian and SaviourRay, and daughter Amber.Duane is also survived by his brother David Flick (Lynette) West Fargo, his sisters Margaret Colby (Francis) Fargo, and Joyce Dorsey, San Angelo, TexasHe was preceded in death by his parents, Perl and Sigrid Flick, his sister, Delores and his brother, Roger.The family would like to express their deepest gratitude and thanks to the doctors, especially Dr. Denise Snow of Roger Maris Cancer Center and Dr. Mark Erickstad, and all the nurses who cared for Duane over the years. Our heartfelt gratitude and thanks to the doctors and nurses and social workers for the care and respect Duane received in his final days at CHI St. Alexius Health. Memorials may be made to the Bismarck Optimist Club or to donor's choice.