Duane Jeffrey Tvedt
Duane Jeffrey Tvedt, age 67, died of a heart attack on January 20, 2024 at the home he shared with his fiancé in Indio, California. He was born at Stoughton, Wisconsin on July 23, 1956, son of Lyle and Noreen (Anderson) Tvedt. He grew up in Black Earth, Wisconsin and graduated from Wisconsin Heights High School in 1974.
Duane moved to Stockton, California in 1976 where he got a job at Stockton Service Station Equipment Company. While employed there he learned the skills necessary to install, maintain and repair gasoline pumps. Naturally these skills changed over time from mostly mechanical operations to digital. Duane kept up with all the changes. In 1988 he formed his own company, Valley Service Station Maintenance Company, and subcontracted gasoline pump repair work from Stockton Service Station Equipment Company and got work from other gasoline companies. He was in constant demand repairing gasoline pumps up and down the Central Valley of California.
In 1996 Duane received an Associate of Arts Degree from Delta College in Stockton, California. Later the same year Chevron Corp hired Duane and moved him to Burlingame, California where he maintained Chevron’s northern California stations. In 2001 Chevron offered Duane an opportunity to move to Portland, Oregon where he was responsible for its stations in Washington and Oregon. In 2002 Duane bought a house in Vancouver, Washington.
In about 2003 Chevron downsized and laid Duane off. Duane and Matt Monroy formed “Advantage Petroleum Services” to do Chevron’s work as an independent contractor. Their fees were triple those paid by Chevron when Duane as an employee. In the summer of 2007 Chevron asked Duane if his company would be interested in maintaining the Chevron stations in Hawaii. Duane & Matt realized that one of them would have to relocate to Hawaii. Duane unselfishly volunteered for the onerous task. He moved to Honolulu in December 2007.
Initially Duane only worked on Chevron stations on Oahu. Eventually he expanded to all the Hawaiian Islands. He also expanded beyond Chevron to other oil companies and eventually his company had contracts to maintain gasoline pumps for the State of Hawaii and for the US Army and US Navy bases. Duane loved living in Honolulu, and he planned to stay there. Life had other plans for him. Duane first met Joan Smith Watkins in 1980. They had a single date and went on with their lives. In 2023 Duane became reacquainted with Joan, a recent widow. They quickly became more serious and soon were engaged. With Joan’s encouragement Duane retired and moved to Indio, California in December 2023. They planned to be married in March 2024.
Duane is survived by his fiancé, Joan Smith Watkins, Indio, CA and her daughter, Brandy Sweeny, Tehachapi, CA; his mother, Noreen (Anderson) Tvedt Severson, Black Earth; siblings, Kevin Tvedt (Alfredo Hernandez) Los Angeles, CA; Karen Liska, Portland, OR; Ted (Tasha) Severson; nieces Toni (Stewart) Mabin, Sophia and Sonja Severson; nephew Tyler (Sierra) Severson, all of Mazomanie; step-siblings Donna Connor (Gary Schlamp), Black Earth; Don Severson (Brenda Howard), Mazomanie; and Patty (Steven) Hillebrand, Cross Plains.
Duane was proceeded in death by his father, Lyle Tvedt; step-father Donald Severson; step-mother Judy Tvedt; brothers Bruce & Rod Tvedt and step-sisters Lisa and Theresa Severson and Cindy Lawton; grandparents, Roy & Ethel (Luhman) Tvedt of Mount Horeb; Kathleen & Lloyd Bullis of Black Earth; and Orrin and Mabel Anderson of Milwaukee.
Duane will be cremated and inurned in a private ceremony at Oak Hill Cemetery, Black Earth, Wisconsin.
There will be a gathering celebrating Duane’s life on May 25 at 2 p.m. in the Black Earth Park shelter house, 1300 block of Mills Street. All are welcomed.
