John Duvel

Thursday, February 18, 2021 3:15 pm

John Wayne Duvel of Canton, MA, formerly of Waukon, died Feb. 3, 2021.

John was born Aug. 28, 1957 to Duane and Shirley (Hanke) Duvel in Waukon. He was baptized and confirmed at Salem United Church of Christ in rural Waukon. He attended Waukon schools and graduated in 1975. He enlisted in the US Army and served for over 12 years. He was an honor graduate of the Defense Language Institute, Foreign Language center, in Monterey, Calif. During his army career he served in various leadership positions, primarily in the European theater of military operations. These included analytical positions within the US Third Infantry Division, US Army Field station Berlin and the NSA at Ft. Meade, MD. His job assignments included Electronics Warfare Coordinator, Senior Current Analysis Chief, Senior Fire Support Weapons Analysis Team Chief, US Liaison to the UK 13th Signals Regiment and Senior Weapons Analysis Team Chief (NSA). When he left the Army, he had achieved the rank of Master Sergeant. After leaving the service, he worked for 8 years as the Senior National Security Analyst for Pacific Sierra Research Corp. He spent the last 13 years working as Senior Systems Analyst and technician for Sanofi Genzyme at their global security operations center in Cambridge, Mass.

He married Karen Puhak on Nov. 8, 1980. To this union, two children were born. They later separated. He met and fell in love with a special lady, Debbie McCarthy and together they had a daughter.

John was very proud of his time in the service. He received a quilt of valor in 2019. He loved to go fishing whenever he came home to Iowa for a visit. It was probably the only time you would find him sitting still for longer than five minutes. He was also a Civil War buff.

John was preceded in death by his father Duane in 2018 and maternal and paternal grandparents. He is survived by his soul mate Debbie, his three  children; Shana Leigh (Larry) Sabourin, Derek Duvel, and Analiese Duvel, Debbie’s sons John and Christopher McDonald of Canton, Mass.; his mother Shirley Duvel of Waukon, IA, a sister, Kathy (Mac) Greentree of Postville, IA, niece Amanda (Andy) Kerner of Postville, nephews Mikael and Adam Bjerke of West Union, IA, two great-nephews, Ryan and Mitchell Guese, and a special aunt, DiAnna Higgins of Marina, CA.

A memorial service will be held in Canton, Mass., at a later date and interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery.

Pushard Family Funeral Home 210 Sherman St., Canton is assisting the family with arrangements.