Duane E Fountain, 87, of Kennewick, WA, passed from this life to his heavenly home on Thursday, August 10, 2017. He joined his beloved wife, Dolores, of 64 years. Together they built a wonderful life and had 3 children. We celebrate his life well-lived and the example he set before us. He was a man of integrity. Duane was born February 21, 1930, in Brush, Colorado to William and Laura Fountain and had an older brother, Keith. He lived in Colorado and Texas prior to moving to Kennewick in 1973. He graduated from Hillrose High School in 1947 where he excelled in all sports and from Colorado State University in 1952 with a B.S. in Agricultural Science. He taught vocational agriculture in Colorado before starting his 30-year career with Phillips Petroleum Company in marketing management and plant administration. He served as Administrative Plant Superintendent at the Finley plant. While living in Amarillo, TX, he served as president of Toastmasters Club. From an early age growing up on the farm, Duane learned the value of family, commitment, hard work, and finishing what you start, and those lessons followed him his whole life. Our Dad lived his life with a quiet strength girded in faith. He was a strong and steady presence in all our lives and was always there for us. He was an avid fisherman and happiest on his boat on the Columbia. A good cup of coffee, a baited hook, and the company of a fellow fisherman made his day as he waited for the big catch. Thank you, Dad and Grandpa, for the treasured memories on your boat, whether fishing, water skiing or just cruising. He was also a prolific gardener and held a long tradition of reaping and sowing and feeding many from his harvest, including the food bank. His tomatoes were unmatched in flavor by our many attempts. We remember our good- natured Dad whistling while he worked, his sense of humor, his attention to detail and organization, his kind and gentle nature, and his unending patience. He was a sweetheart and looked for the best in others. He took great pride in his children and grandchildren and all their activities and sports. And of course, he loved watching his favorite pro teams, the Seahawks and Mariners of recent vintage, but prior to that, the Broncos and Cowboys. Growing up during the depression of the 30's shaped Dad's resourcefulness and frugality. When his father became ill in the 40's and his brother left for the service, a lot of the farming responsibility fell to him. He shared that his least favorite chore was milking the cows and that his favorite thing to do was ride his horse, Tony. He always had an uncanny ability to figure things out and fix what was broken. He met every project with persistence until he figured it out, even if it meant countless trips for parts. He could fix anything and always said anything worth doing was worth doing right. As a result, all our cars "ran like a top." In addition to being sharp and witty, dad had a servant's heart. He taught us all as we often watched him assist others with projects or repairs, open our home to our friends, and provide tender and loving care for our mom in her later years. As Mom would say, "He is my rock and best friend." Mom and Dad were active members of Kennewick First Presbyterian Church for over 40 years and developed lifelong friendships with their church family. Dad worked on many church improvement projects, served as an elder and usher, volunteered for the Trail Seekers program, and served on a building mission trip to Haines, AK. His enthusiasm for travel was highlighted with family trips to the coast and Rocky Mountains, trips back to Colorado and Texas, and most recently an Alaskan cruise with his son, Bill. Many wonderful shared memories. Duane was preceded in death by his wife, parents, and a brother. He leaves behind a family who loved him and will miss him dearly and see him again someday. We picture Dad now dancing with Mom and dropping a line in the most magnificent river imaginable. He is survived by: 3 children and their spouses- son, Bill (Janie) Fountain of San Francisco, CA; and daughters, Karen (Pat) Sasser of Amarillo, TX; and Laurie (Devin) Harrison of Kennewick, WA; 9 grandchildren – Matt Sasser, Josh (Elise) Sasser, Zach (Meg) Sasser, Austin Sasser; Katie Fountain, Kaley (Jason) Hernandez, Chris Fountain; Luke Harrison and Kiran Harrison; and 3 great grandchildren – Anne Marie, Farah, and Aslyn Sasser. The family would like to extend our most sincere gratitude to the staff of Canyon Lakes Manor for their loving care of our dad. Duane's celebration of life will be held on Saturday, August 19, at 1:00 p.m. at the Kennewick First Presbyterian Church. The family requests any memorials be made to Kennewick First Presbyterian Church. Click here to watch video