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Duane Ronald Salsberry

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Duane Ronald Salsberry passed away Friday, July 24, 2020, at the amazing age of 83. Duane was born January 29, 1937, to Herbert Elven (H. E.) and Bertha Agnus Pease. Duane was born and raised in Washington, where he attended Trinity High School and graduated with the Class of 1955.

After graduating high school, Duane met a beautiful young woman by the name of Alma Jean Salsberry. Duane was transfixed with Alma’s beauty that he felt he just had to ask her on a date! Duane tried very hard to impress Alma by giving her the name Norman, Duane’s boss, and even went to pick up Alma two hours early to make sure she didn’t change her mind about the date. Little did Duane know, but Alma knew the real Norman, and wanted to see how this date would go with a man trying so very hard to impress her. The two hit it off and married November 8, 1956. These two lovebirds would eventually raise four amazing kids together.

Duane worked a career with the telephone company South Western Bell while raising his four kids alongside his wife. He had the opportunity to transfer to Corpus Christi, Texas, in 1982, and that is how the Salsberry family made their way to Texas! Duane would tell stories of how different the temperatures in south Texas were compared to the Northern U.S. and how the change took some getting used to. Later on, in the ’80s, Duane had the pleasure of retiring from the phone company, but he didn’t understand the meaning of retirement. Duane would work different odd jobs just to stay busy, as well as taking classes at Del Mar College.

Once Duane became a grandfather, he focused a lot of his attention to these new children in his life. He spoiled his grandchildren with all his heart and loved woodworking in his shed when his grandkids were not around. Duane was a gentle soul, as well as the spiritual patriarch of the Salsberry family. He showed his grandkids his love of God on top of the love he himself could give as a grandfather. If Duane was not building things in his shed, loving on his grandkids, or praying to his Lord Jesus Christ, he was probably in the garden. Duane would even live long enough to love two great-grandchildren, and as he spoiled all his grandkids, he did nothing less with his great-grandkids.

Throughout his long life, Duane had several family members that preceded him in death. Both of Duane’s parents, Herbert Elvin and Bertha; his brothers, Elvin, Kenneth and Lloyd; his sisters, Eleanor and Nila Mae; as well as his very own beloved wife, Alma Jean, married 61 years.

The world may have known him as Duane, but to those that were close to him, they knew him as Pap. Although Pap is no longer physically with his grand and amazing family, he leaves behind a legacy of love and kindheartedness to them all – Vivian (his final living sibling); his four kids, Brian (Cindy), Cathy, Evan (Blanca) and Forrest Sr. (Charlie); his five grandkids, Michelle, Joseph, Forrest Jr., Evan and Alma; as well as his two great-grandkids, Abigale and Kaleb. Our memories of Pap will remain in our hearts and souls as he is now in Heaven with his wife watching over us. Their wings were ready to fly to the Heavens, but our hearts were not ready to have them leave our sides.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Friday, July 31, in Reid Chapel, 4357 Ocean Drive, Corpus Christi.

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