Duane and his sons own and operate seven funeral homes in the Puget Sound area. He appreciates the unique privilege of watching his children continue the family tradition of helping our neighbors through the trauma death brings to their lives.
The Weeks family operates its businesses successfully by providing compassion, integrity, and value to their clients. Early in life, Duane was taught that people are more important than profit, and this lesson has been passed on to his family and employees.
As a youngster, Duane lived in Parkland, Washington, where he graduated from Franklin Pierce High School and began to learn about funeral service from his friends at Dryer Mortuary. Following graduation from the University of Puget Sound, he taught secondary school English in the early 1960s before turning to funeral service.
A licensed funeral director for 50 years, Duane has owned and operated funeral homes since 1966. He was honored by his peers in 1996, when he was selected as Washington State Funeral Director of the Year and again, in 2002, when he was presented with a Career Achievement Award, both from the Washington State Funeral Directors' Association.
Duane and his wife, Fay, have lived in the Enumclaw/Buckley area since 1966. They are members of Trinity Lutheran Church in Enumclaw. Duane continues his membership in the Enumclaw Kiwanis Club, having served in varied community activities including the hospital foundation board and the Enumclaw School Board, where he was past president. He is also a member of several professional organizations, including the Association of Death Education and Counseling.
In 1985, Duane's interest in death education led him to begin graduate schooling in Sociology. After earning his Master's degree from Pacific Lutheran University, his formal education culminated when he completed his doctorate at the University of Minnesota in 1994. In 1999, Dr. Weeks retired as director of New England Institute at Mount Ida College, a small liberal arts school in Newton, Massachusetts.
An international speaker, Duane is the author of dozens of articles and book chapters with topics ranging from general grief and bereavement to the importance of death rituals. He is co-editor of the seminal book on long-term caring for survivors, "When All the Friends Have Gone: A Guide for Aftercare Providers."
