Submitted by Companion Wayne Rolif

Deeis (Dee) Duttweiler, 96, Atchison passed away Thursday, October 13, 2022, at Medicalodge of Atchison, KS. Masonic services will be at 11:00 am on Monday, October 17, 2022, at St. Mark\’s Lutheran Church, Atchison, KS, followed by funeral services with Rev. Craig Lantz officiating. Burial will follow at Sunset Memory Gardens Atchison, KS. The family will receive friends from 10:00 to 11:00 AM at St. Mark\’s Lutheran Church. Memorials are suggested to the Knights Templar Eye Foundation or St. Mark\’s Lutheran Church and may be sent in care of the Becker-Dyer-Stanton Funeral Home who is handling the arrangements. Online condolences may be left at www.beckerdyer.com.

Dee was born July 1, 1926, in Leavenworth, KS, to the late Fred and Irena (Macy) Duttweiler. His father worked for Burlington Railroad and was transferred to Atchison when Dee was five years old. Dee attended Franklin Grade School and Atchison High School where he played the trumpet in the high school band and orchestra. Dee attended Benedictine College part time for six years earning a degree in Business Administration, then attended Findley Engineering College, Kansas City, studying Electrical Engineering. He was a partner in a trailer rental business in St. Joseph, MO. He started his own retail business, public address sound business, rental property, owned and operated the Sugar Cone Ice Cream store with his wife Eunice, worked in radio stations earning a Federal First-Class license to work on radio transmitters, and also worked as an announcer and engineer. Dee\’s hobby job was as a projectionist in indoor and outdoor drive-in theaters. He also learned to fly light airplanes in 1953, had his private pilot\’s licenses and owned several airplanes, selling the last one in 1999. He also collected model railroad trains.

Dee had been a Mason over 65 years, he was a member and Past Master of the Active Masonic Lodge # 158, Atchison, and was a Past Worthy Patron many times for the Martha Washington Chapter $ 215 Order of Eastern Star, member of Washington Chapter # 1 and #2, and Washington Commandery #2, Atchison. He had served as head of all local York rite bodies. He served the State of Kansas as Grand High Priest of Royal Arch Masons of KS, Grand Illustrious Master of Cryptic Masons of Kansas, and Past Grand Commander of Knights Templar of Kansas. He was a member of York Rite College and was awarded the Purple Cross, was honored to earn the Scottish Rite Shrine, 33rd degree, belonged to Abdallah Shrine, Kansas City, Ancient Toltec Rite, Topeka Chapter of Kansas. He was Past Grand Organist OF Grand Chapter of Kansas Order of Eastern Star and Past Grand Organist for the Grand Lodge of Kansas, for the General Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of USA for one year and Grand Organist for all Kansas York Rite. He was a member of the Red Cross of Considine Topeka, KS and dual member in St. Joseph, MO and Kansas City, KS Columbia Preceptory Yeoman of York, MO. He was also a life member of all York Bodies and General Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons.

Dee and Eunice traveled all over the state of Kansas. In 1997 they traveled with the Knight Templars to the Holy Land, Israel, Bethlehem and Jerusalem. In 2007 they traveled to England, France, Switzerland, Germany, and Italy with his nephew. They traveled to Colorado Springs many times, Washington DC, toured the White House, Florida, New Orleans, Memphis TN, Missouri, Nebraska, Arkansas and several other States. Dee was a member of St. Mark\’s Lutheran Church, Atchison and served on the Church Council several times. On February 19, 1956, Dee married Eunice Gaul at Trinity Lutheran Church in Atchison, KS. She preceded him on June 26, 2022. Survivors include nieces and nephews. Dee was preceded by his parents, mother and father-in-law Herman and Martha Gaul, sisters-in-law Lorene Rawles and Eursala Gaul, brothers in law, Norman and Edgar Gaul.

Published by Leavenworth Times on Oct. 15, 2022.