Duane "Du" Christensen, age 90, passed peacefully on Saturday, April 22 in Mankato surrounded by his loving family. He was born on May 8th, 1926 in Tyler, MN to Earl and Martha (Hansen) Christensen and was the second of three children. Du graduated from Windom High School in 1944 and served in the United States Army Air Force from 1944 to 1945, when the war ended. After a year of study at the University of Minnesota, Du returned to Windom where he met his soul mate and the love of his life, Marilyn Olson. They were married on May 9, 1948. The couple was blessed with two children, Jerry and Julie, and raised them in Windom where Du worked his entire career in the sheet metal business. Du loved to travel and took many photographs on family vacations. At home, he enjoyed tending his vegetable gardens, listening to great music, and keeping up with sports. After his retirement, Du and Marilyn spent winters in Arizona where they enjoyed connecting with friends, reading, walking, and eating frozen yogurt. In his later years, nothing gave him more joy than spending time with his family, including his two young great-grandchildren with whom he shared many of his chocolate treats. A devoted husband, loving father, and doting grandpa, Du will be remembered as a kind and gentle soul with sparkling blue eyes and a witty sense of humor. He was beloved by all who knew him--friends, relatives, caregivers, and especially his adoring and grateful family. Du is preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Leon. He will be forever remembered by wife and best friend of 69 years, Marilyn, son Jerry Christensen, daughter Julie (Denny) Weis, grandchild Lindsey (Nathan) Owens and their children Eli Dane and Vivian Marie, and sister Jeanette Carpenter of Florida. Memorials may be sent to World Vision or the World Wildlife Fund.