Rex Louis Duden passed away in peace after 87 full and colorful years in the midst of great love and respect from family and friends at Mee Memorial Hospital in King City on January 4, 2008.
He was born into this world December 14, 1920 by Louise (Rocca) and Louis Alexander Duden in Gilroy, CA.
Rex was schooled by both his mother the teacher and his father the custodian at San Ysidro School in the rurals of Gilroy with his brother Merle and cousin Keith Soward.
With summers to themselves, expeditions were mounted to Yosemite and the Sierra, the Yolla Bollys, Big Sur coast and beyond with as many family members as could be packed into a 1923 straight 8-cylinder Marmin with knock-offs. Hunting and fishing were virtually a daily activity.
After graduating from Gilroy High, Rex joined the war effort as a ship fitter for Bethlehem Steel of San Francisco. He returned to Gilroy on his Harley after the war and began his first stint in the garlic business with Joseph Gubser Co. In the meantime, Rex began dating the love of his life, Phyllis Jean Lake, and they married May 10, 1952. He then went on to join his uncles Ben, Jack and Al to work at Rocca Brothers Mens Store.
The irresistible smell of garlic, though, was too much for him and when offered a field position with Basic Vegetable in King City in 1958, moved there with Phyllis and two young daughters,Trudy and Cindy. Sons Mark and Steven came along soon after. Rex spent the next 40 years chasing the perfect ground, perfect climate, and perfect seed of the “Stink Lilly” from Mexico to the Canadian Border.
He became an authority in the field, and was tracked down in Florida while vacationing by Organic Gardening Magazine to do an interview on the subject.
After 25 years with Basic and then at Fred E. Carter Company, he went on to do private consulting primarily with Christopher Ranch of Gilroy, until finally retiring in 1998.
But Rex wasn’t done with the road just yet. Over the course of several years he and Phyllis covered all 50 states and most of the border provinces of Canada.
He was a connoisseur of sporting arms, a huge football fan and his passion for aircraft and flying was second only to his love for his family.
One of his greatest thrills in later years was awaiting radio transmissions from airline pilot, son Steven. flying overhead in a 737 answering to the handle “Garlic Man.”
The other was “pouring the coal” to brother Merle’s Great Lakes open cockpit bi-plane to see how many times they could shred a streaming roll of toilet paper thrown from 5000 feet.
He was a member of St. Johns Parish in King City, the Gilroy Elks Lodge, and Knights of Columbus.
Known by many and loved by all, he is survived by Phyllis, his bride of 55 years, daughters Trudy (Tom) Merkle, Mt. Shasta, Cindy (Dean) Banuelos, King City, sons Mark of Mt. Shasta, Steven (Dorothy) of Santee and brother Merle of Lake Shastina. Grandchildren Shawn (Anne) Merkle, Heidi (Chad) Massey of Weed, Bonnie Merkle of Mt. Shasta, Chad Comilang of San Diego, Jessica Gaisford of San Luis Obispo, Natalie Duden of Santee, great-granddaughter Camilla Merkle of Mt. Shasta and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, donations would be appreciated and can be made to Mee Memorial Hospital Foundation, St. Johns Church, Loaves and Fishes, or your favorite charities.
A rosary will be held on Tuesday, January 8, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. at St. John the Baptist Church in King City, California. Memorial mass is on Wednesday, January 9, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in King City, California.
There will be a Funeral mass on Thursday, January 10, 2008 at 11:00 A.M. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Gilroy, California.
Services by Habing Family Funeral Home.
