Duane Wollpert


Duane Wollpert, of Albuquerque, NM, formerly of Charlotte, MI, passed away on Friday, June 17, 2022. Duane was born September 11, 1936, in Grand Ledge, MI, but grew up in Charlotte where he worked on the family farm. He married his high school sweetheart, Shirley Smith in May 1956. They had three children and had a nice family life until her untimely passing in 1971. He then married Charlotte Kelty and moved to Okemos, MI and several years later moved to Albuquerque, NM, and then to Redondo Beach, CA where he worked for TRW. Duane was an intelligent man who loved his family, the space program, astronomy, and was an electronics hobbyist. He kept his sense of humor to the end.
Duane was also preceded in death by his wife, Charlotte; parents, Merrill and Nellie Wollpert; brother and sister-in-law, Wallace and Ginny Wollpert of Mulliken, Mich.; granddaughter, Elizabeth Porras of Lancaster, Cali.; and grandson, Darian Kelty.
Duane is survived by his three children: Judy of Charlotte, Mich., Tami of Albuquerque, NM, and David of Albuquerque, NM; and three stepchildren: Diane (Chuck) of Loveland, Ohio, Eric of Sarasota, FL and Dana (Fred) of Lancaster, CA. He is also survived by 17 grandchildren: Sharri Wolfe, Amber Griffes, Nick Scott, Michael Scott, Jennifer Bissell, Denise Chaffee Hongslo, Jason Vogel, Sarah Brittin, Bright Kellogg, John Pakozdi, Ginny Savelli, Nathan Kelty, Erica Cristea, Diana Fowler, Nicole Rejniak, Hudson Porras, and Connor Porras. He is also survived by 34 great-grandchildren, and two great great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held in Charlotte at a later date.