E. Duane Clay

Elton Duane Clay, one of two children of Elton Franklin and Laura Catherine (Patterson) Clay, was born on April 8, 1948 in Omaha, Nebraska. He grew up in the Malvern, Iowa area. He was a member of the Malvern Presbyterian Church and attended Pleasant Valley Country School and the Malvern Schools where he graduated in 1966. Following high school, Duane attended Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri. He transferred his junior year to the University of Nebraska at Omaha where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration in 1970. During college, Duane's summer job was switchman at Union Pacific Railroad in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Duane and Evelyn Diane Blackman were married on March 30, 1969 at the First Baptist Church in Glenwood, Iowa. Duane joined the church in August of 1969. Their marriage was blessed with the birth of their daughter, Denise Evelyn, on February 26, 1973. They lived near Malvern and later in Omaha before moving in 1974 to their present home west of Malvern.
Duane worked in Omaha, first as an internal auditor at Mutual of Omaha. In 1979, he worked at the Continental General Insurance Company where he started an internal audit section and became Company Treasurer. He later became Controller for Central States Indemnity. Duane was a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors and the EDP Auditors Association. He was active as a Mills County Election Board Official and treasurer of the Malvern Historical Society. Duane and Diane were active in their church, community and school and supported Denise in her many activities. In 1992, they both shared the honor of being "Malvern Sports Fan of the Year". Duane enjoyed airplanes and flying, reading, and home-made rolls and breads. He loved being with family and his four granddaughters who kept him busy and delighted his days.
Duane and Diane had been married 38 years, when Duane lost his battle with cancer at his home on November 16, 2007. He had attained the age of 59 years, 7 months and 8 days. He was preceded in death by his parents, Elton and Laura Clay and stepfather, Willard Casper. Duane is survived by his wife Diane (Blackman) Clay; daughter Denise Bainter and husband John and their daughters Ashleigh, Haleigh, Emileigh, and Ryleigh; sister Linda Marshall and husband George, Jr., all of Malvern; nephews Dirk Marshall and wife Amy and their children Austin, Taylor, Madison, and Lindsey of Mesquite, NV and George Marshall III of Orem, Utah; father and mother-in-law, Wayne and Marjorie Blackman and brother-in-law Lee Blackman of Malvern; other relatives and many friends.

A memorial fund has been established.