Wayne Duncan, 88, was born in Ladd, Mo., on Aug. 1, 1922. He passed away peacefully at his home of 56 years in Sunflower Valley outside of Avenal, Calif., surrounded by his family after a brief battle with leukemia.
Wayne attended school in Evening Shade, Mo. He then joined the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1937 and served for three years. He married Oneta Bolding on July 10, 1943 in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.
Wayne and Oneta moved to California in 1946 to pursue his dream of working in the oil fields. They settled in Derby Acres and he went to work for Franco Western Oil Co. in 1948. In 1955, he was transferred to the newly drilled Pyramid Hills lease, south of Avenal, as a resident oil field operator, a position he held until retirement in 1982. Mobil Oil Co. purchased Franco Western Oil Co. in the late 1960’s.
At retirement, Wayne was the last remaining “resident” oil field operator in Mobil Oil Company. After retirement he founded the family business “Duncan’s Pumping Service” and he continued to operate the Pyramid Hills lease under contract until 1986, when he purchased the lease with partner, Joe Covello of Central California Oil Co. They later sold the lease to Holmes Western Oil Corporation in 1996. Wayne was a well-respected oilman throughout the Kern County and Kings County oil communities. He was known for his exceptional work ethic and expected the same of others. His son now owns Duncan’s Pumping Service and operates the same lease in Pyramid Hills. Wayne would often be seen out driving around the oil leases checking wells up until just days before his death.
For the past 30 years, in addition to his work in the oil fields, Wayne dry land farmed barley and wheat crops on 550 acres in the valley he lived in. He drove his tractor himself up until the last few years discing and planting. He always dreamed of a wet winter year to make a good crop. Though he did not live to see this years harvest, he did produce a promising crop, due to the unusually wet winter California had this past winter.
Wayne was an avid hunter and fisherman. He loved to travel with his wife, especially to Hawaii. He also immensely enjoyed time spent with his family at their two vacation homes in Fish Camp, Calf., and Pinehurst, Calif.
Wayne accepted Christ as a young man and attended Avenal First Baptist Church. He has gone home now to be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Wayne is survived by his beloved wife of nearly 68 years, Oneta Duncan of Avenal, Calif., and their children, daughter, Carolyn Russell, and husband, Dick, of Taft, Calif., son, Gary Duncan, and wife, Jill, of Cholame, Calif., and daughter, Annette Howell, of Guadalupe, Calif.; grandchildren, Bryan Sellman of Taft, Calif., Launa Morton and husband, David, of Taft and Gary Jr. and wife, Gelareh, of Miami, Fla.; and step-grand daughter, Dana Crumpacker, and husband, Aaron, of Lodi, Calif.; great-grandchildren, Jake Morton, Blake Sellman, Amelia Morton and Travis Sellman, all of Taft, Calif., and Amir Duncan of Miami, Fla.
Wayne is also survived by his sister, Delores (Brownie) Bowlin of Houston, Mo.; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews, other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Lua and Pearl Duncan; brother, Raymond Atterberry; brother, Oren Atterberry; sister, Geneva (Betty) Duncan; brother, Bob Duncan; brother, Walter (Jim) Duncan; brother, Ted Duncan; brother, Norman Duncan; and one nephew, Dewey Duncan.
Graveside services were Thursday, June 2, 2011, in West Side District Cemetery in Taft, Calif., with the Rev. Mark Fitzsimmons officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Erickson & Brown Funeral Home in Taft.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Wayne’s memory to a cancer organization of your choice.
