DeForest - Jerome “Jerry” Clarence Duren, 86, passed away peacefully on Friday, July 7. Jerry was born on January 13, 1937 to Jacob and Clara (Bodendein) Duren on a small farm in Cazenovia, WI. After graduating from Cazenovia High School, he relocated to the Madison area and started working for MG&E until his retirement in 1999.

Family was very important. He married the love of his life Ruth (Dopheide), on August 6, 1966 and loved spending time with his two sons John and Eric, their wives Barbara (Ballweg) and Sherry (Oeffler) and especially loved time with his grandchildren Caleb, Colin and Courtney.

Jerry was an active member of the DeForest community for over 50 years. He was selected for the DeForest Youth Baseball Hall of Fame, a member of St. Olaf’s Parish, and the Knights of Columbus. He loved to golf, deer hunt, and was well known for his brownies and Duren Dip. Jerry was known to greet you with a smile, make you laugh with a story and tell bad jokes. As he would often say, “I would have been older but was sick for two years.”

Jerry is survived by his sons, John (Barbara) of Kewaskum and Eric (Sherry) of Altoona; grandchildren Caleb, Colin, and Courtney; sister, Jeanette Michaels; brothers-in-law Harry (Mary Kay) Uhlenkamp and Roman Steffes; sisters-in-laws Joan (Don) Wiederhold, Rita Smith and Mary Lou Duren; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Ruth; his parents, and siblings, Donald, Dean, Joseph, Raymond, Paul, and Janice Braun.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, July 15, 2023, at ST. OLAF’S CATHOLIC CHURCH, 615 Jefferson Street, DeForest, WI beginning at 11:00 a.m. A visitation will be held at RYAN FUNERAL HOME, 6924 Lake Road, DeForest on Friday, July 14, 2023, from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. and at St Olaf’s Catholic Church on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of Mass. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the DeForest Community Center in Jerry’s name.

Jerry’s family wishes to thank the DeForest Police and EMS, the UW Hospital Trauma and Life Support Center and Palliative Care Team, as well as the kind words from family and friends. To view and sign this guestbook, please visit: www.ryanfuneralservice.com.

Ryan Funeral Home & Cremation Services

Windsor/DeForest Chapel

6924 Lake Road

608-846-4250

Jerome Duren

January 13, 1937 - July 07, 2023

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