Died 26 October 2001

Published in Pilot Tribune on 30 October 2001

Veteran-Air Force

Retired Air Force Tech. Sgt. Duane S. Booth, 53, of Herman, died Oct. 26, 2001. Funeral services were held Monday, Oct. 29, at the Herman Legion Hall.

Duane Steven Booth was born Aug. 3, 1948, in Muskegon, Mich., to Edward and Louise (Likens) Booth. He graduated from Pomonkey High School, Indian Head, Md. in 1968. He entered the Air Force on July 1, 1968, and served 20 years.

Upon his return from the Vietnam War, he married Airman Nancy Janice Read on Sept. 21, 1971, in Caribou, Me., while stationed at Loring Air Force Base, Me.

The couple's first child was born in 1973, while they were stationed at Bentwaters Air Base in England, and their second child was born in 1976, while they were stationed at Kessler Air Force Base, MS. Mr. Booth also enjoyed tours at Craig Air Force Base, Ala., Clark Air Base in the Philippines, and Offutt Air Force Base.

He was the recipient of numerous Air Force Decorations, including the Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor and three oak leaf clusters, and the Air Force Good Conduct Medal with five oak leaf clusters.

The Booth family moved to a farm three miles west of Herman in 1986 after it was determined that Nebraska would be a great place to retire.

After being honorably discharged from the Air Force in 1988, Mr. Booth went to work for Lozier Corporation for a short time, before being employed by the Omaha Public Power District in 1989 at the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station.

Mr. Booth was a 1995 graduate of Western States University with a bachelor of science degree in occupational safety and health. He was also a part-time deputy sheriff with the Washington County Sheriff's Department in Blair, and he was a 1998 graduate of the Nebraska Law Enforcement Reserve Officer Training Center.

He loved playing the guitar and singing, fishing for large mouth bass, hunting for the largest buck or shooting at the fastest flying pheasant, training or just riding his horses, Miller Lite, Salem Light 100, and team roping with his friends. He will be terribly missed.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy, children, Christopher and Hollie Booth, and Andrew and Meggan Booth, all of Herman, a sister, Esther Ann Booth of Waldorf, Md., and brother, Wayne Allen Booth of Virginia.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Memorials are suggested to the United Way Organization-Abused and Homeless Children.

Campbell-Aman Funeral Home in Blair was in charge of arrangements.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~