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Duaine Einan

Duaine Leonhard "Pine Tar" Einan, founder of Einan's Funeral Home, passed away peacefully at home Dec. 26, 2005 surrounded by friends and loved ones.

He was born June 19, 1923, to Hans and Agnes Einan in Whitefish, where he grew up. He was a member of the first ski team at Whitefish High School, where he participated in their first state-wide ski championship, winning the short downhill slalom and helping the team take first place.

His friends dubbed him "Pine Tar" because he loved to ski through the trees. With his friends, he skied at the Big Mountain before the resort was formally established. They would ski the whole weekend, and everyone except the car driver would ski to school Monday morning.

He married Rosemary "Bobbie" Saurey in 1943. Duaine joined the Marine Corps and served during World War II, participating in the Pacific Campaign in Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan and Tinian. His unit was scheduled for the invasion of Japan when, thankfully, the war ended.

After the war, he and Bobbie moved to Richland, Wash., where he worked at General Electric for a short while. Then, with the support of his family and the GI Bill, he graduated from Pacific Lutheran University in Parkland, Wash., and graduated with honors from Cypress College of Mortuary Science in Los Angeles, Calif.

Duaine was an avid skier, and on weekends he was a ski instructor at White Pass, in Washington, for many years. He had a passion for golf and was a member of Meadow Springs Country Club and was very proud of his hole-in-one during a tournament.

Duaine and Edna Mercer were married July 5, 1987 and have lived for the past 18 years in Meadow Springs, near Richland. Duaine was involved in the Marine Corps League, V.F.W. Cook-Erickson Post 7952, Navy League, American Legion, American Cancer Society, Hospice, Masons and Richland Rotary Club. He was a charter member of Richland Lutheran Church and active in the Republican Party. He also served as a director on the Washington State Funeral Director's Board.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Hans and Agnes Einan, first wife Rosemary and son Andre.

Duaine is survived by his wife Edna; daughters Terry Bock, and husband Tom, and Debbie Valerio, and husband Enrique; son Don, and wife Laura; brother Russell; stepdaughters Debbie Richman, and husband Tim, and Chris Mercer; stepsons Wayne Mercer, and wife Wanda, and Chuck Mercer, and wife Marcy; stepdaughter Jenae Thornberry; 19 grandchildren; and 21 great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 29, at Einan's Funeral Home, with entombment to follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens Mausoleum.