1937
Duane
2015
Duane Mau
March 10, 1937 — December 17, 2015
Duane Mau, 78, of Ashby, died Thursday, December 17, 2015, in Ramsey, Minnesota.
Duane Mau was born March 10, 1937 in St. James, MN to Theodore and Helen Mau, and grew up in nearby Sherburn with his sister Eileen and younger brother Gary. He excelled in academics and gained recognition while participating in football, baseball and basketball. He also acted in school plays. Duane developed his interest in collecting sports cards while lying awake at night listening to St. Louis Cardinals games on the radio.
Duane attended Macalester College in St. Paul, MN where he continued his high level performance in sports and found his two great loves – teaching and Merilyn Schaeffer. The couple married on June 7, 1960, and moved to Long Prairie, MN where Duane was offered his first teaching position. He was selected first out of 400 other prospects because of his excellent credentials and because he was the only applicant who could play catcher. The town baseball team needed a catcher. Fittingly, the job interview took place on the infield of a baseball diamond between games of a double header between Macalester and Hamline.
Shortly after the birth of their first son Gregg in 1963, the couple moved to Rochester, MN. Duane taught science for many years in the Rochester school system, starting at the old Central High School, then moving to Kellogg Jr. High. He also continued his education, earning two Masters Degrees. Two more sons, Paul and David, were born so the young family moved from Elton Hills to NE Rochester, where they lived until Duane retired.
Duane truly loved being a classroom teacher. He used humor, some of it corny, to present science concepts. He also encouraged students to challenge themselves to go beyond the classroom to learn more about subjects. Duane taught so many young people for so many years that while on family vacations, all around the country, he would hear "Mr. Mau, Mr. Mau!" as a former student would run up to say hello. He was nominated as a Minnesota Teacher of the Year and earned many awards for his work on behalf of students and science education in the state.
Early in the 1980s, Duane also became an instructor for IBM of Rochester and the Teach the Teacher program. For 13 summers, Duane and his sons would travel the state with a van load of some of the very first personal desktop computers. He set up computer labs to teach classroom teachers and school administrators how to use computers in their work as educators.
Duane was a great Minnesota sports fan, enjoyed hunting and fishing, and was an avid reader. There were always piles of books to be read around the house. He kept logs of each book that he read, which number in the thousands. He instilled the love of reading and learning in his children. He loved touching base with friends for card games or coffee. He seemed to have class reunions and get-togethers every few months.
After retiring to the family lake house in Ashby, MN, Duane and Merilyn became serious about their antiquing. They made many trips over the years from Iowa to Georgia. Duane especially enjoyed sports cards and comics. The couple set up a little shop in Ashby, then later in Fergus Falls and also had booths in several other antique shops around the area.
Duane is survived by his wife of 55 years, Merilyn; sister Eileen and brother Gary (Lisa); sons Gregg (Molly), Paul, and David (Carrie) all of the Twin Cities; and grandsons Jacob and Theodore Mau, Nate Thomas (Meredith Cole) and Max Thomas. In addition, several nieces and nephews.
Visitation: 5 – 7 PM Friday, January 1, 2016, at Glende-Nilson Funeral Home, Ashby, MN, and one hour prior to services at the church.
Celebration of Life: 1:00 PM Saturday, January 2, 2016, at Peace Lutheran Church, Ashby
Clergy: Reverend Tom Olson
Spring Interment: Pioneer Riverside Cemetery, Pomme de Terre Township
Gifts in memory of Duane may be made by mail to Mayo Clinic Cancer Research to Department of Development, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905 or to Lake Region Health Care Cancer & Research, 908 Cascade St. S., Fergus Falls, MN 56537.
Condolences: GlendeNilson.com
Duane's Folder
Duane's Video Tribute
Duane Mau was born March 10, 1937 in St. James, MN to Theodore and Helen Mau, and grew up in nearby Sherburn with his sister Eileen and younger brother Gary. He excelled in academics and gained recognition while participating in football, baseball and basketball. He also acted in school plays. Duane developed his interest in collecting sports cards while lying awake at night listening to St. Louis Cardinals games on the radio.
Duane attended Macalester College in St. Paul, MN where he continued his high level performance in sports and found his two great loves – teaching and Merilyn Schaeffer. The couple married on June 7, 1960, and moved to Long Prairie, MN where Duane was offered his first teaching position. He was selected first out of 400 other prospects because of his excellent credentials and because he was the only applicant who could play catcher. The town baseball team needed a catcher. Fittingly, the job interview took place on the infield of a baseball diamond between games of a double header between Macalester and Hamline.
Shortly after the birth of their first son Gregg in 1963, the couple moved to Rochester, MN. Duane taught science for many years in the Rochester school system, starting at the old Central High School, then moving to Kellogg Jr. High. He also continued his education, earning two Masters Degrees. Two more sons, Paul and David, were born so the young family moved from Elton Hills to NE Rochester, where they lived until Duane retired.
Duane truly loved being a classroom teacher. He used humor, some of it corny, to present science concepts. He also encouraged students to challenge themselves to go beyond the classroom to learn more about subjects. Duane taught so many young people for so many years that while on family vacations, all around the country, he would hear "Mr. Mau, Mr. Mau!" as a former student would run up to say hello. He was nominated as a Minnesota Teacher of the Year and earned many awards for his work on behalf of students and science education in the state.
Early in the 1980s, Duane also became an instructor for IBM of Rochester and the Teach the Teacher program. For 13 summers, Duane and his sons would travel the state with a van load of some of the very first personal desktop computers. He set up computer labs to teach classroom teachers and school administrators how to use computers in their work as educators.
Duane was a great Minnesota sports fan, enjoyed hunting and fishing, and was an avid reader. There were always piles of books to be read around the house. He kept logs of each book that he read, which number in the thousands. He instilled the love of reading and learning in his children. He loved touching base with friends for card games or coffee. He seemed to have class reunions and get-togethers every few months.
After retiring to the family lake house in Ashby, MN, Duane and Merilyn became serious about their antiquing. They made many trips over the years from Iowa to Georgia. Duane especially enjoyed sports cards and comics. The couple set up a little shop in Ashby, then later in Fergus Falls and also had booths in several other antique shops around the area.
Duane is survived by his wife of 55 years, Merilyn; sister Eileen and brother Gary (Lisa); sons Gregg (Molly), Paul, and David (Carrie) all of the Twin Cities; and grandsons Jacob and Theodore Mau, Nate Thomas (Meredith Cole) and Max Thomas. In addition, several nieces and nephews.
Visitation: 5 – 7 PM Friday, January 1, 2016, at Glende-Nilson Funeral Home, Ashby, MN, and one hour prior to services at the church.
Celebration of Life: 1:00 PM Saturday, January 2, 2016, at Peace Lutheran Church, Ashby
Clergy: Reverend Tom Olson
Spring Interment: Pioneer Riverside Cemetery, Pomme de Terre Township
Gifts in memory of Duane may be made by mail to Mayo Clinic Cancer Research to Department of Development, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905 or to Lake Region Health Care Cancer & Research, 908 Cascade St. S., Fergus Falls, MN 56537.
Condolences: GlendeNilson.com
Duane's Folder
Duane's Video Tribute
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