Jack David Duren, 60, passed away on Sunday March 8, 2026, at his home in Odessa, MO.
Jack was born on July 14, 1965, in Chicago, IL, the son of Willie B. and Shirley Ann (Lane) Duren. His early years were spent with his parents and siblings as the youngest of five children. The family relocated to Florence, AL in 1974 where Jack later attended Bradshaw High School. In 1981 when Jack was only 16, he lost his dad to Polycystic Kidney Disease. This is a genetic disease that Jack would later be diagnosed with.
He visited family in Missouri where he met his wife, Vickie D. Manuel. They married on May 26, 1989, and soon thereafter, Jack fully relocated to Odessa, MO where he would live out the remainder of his life.
He had a passion for woodworking. He was a skilled woodworker for over 35 years and worked at Jakobe Furniture, Alco, and Regency while also owning his own business, Rebelwork. While most of his career he specialized in cabinetry, his most recent years at Jakobe were spent building furniture for Las Vegas casinos along with building the bar for JJ’s Restaurant on the Plaza. Early in his career, at the age of 20, he lost the ends of two fingers in a dado saw accident at work. He was very proud of those fingers and would show them off any chance he could. He finally retired at the end of 2018 when his health became priority.
Jack had southern roots through and through and looked forward to visiting Alabama and eating homemade fudge and peanut brittle made by his mom. He was a die-hard fan of Bama football (Roll Tide Roll) and of basketball, watching it and playing it at the house. He loved attending Reunions at Reelfoot Lake in Tennessee and visiting family. Other passions of Jack included taking his boat out to fish and working in the yard. He also enjoyed playing poker and made several custom poker tables himself.
He was a loving husband, father, pawpaw, son, brother and more. He will deeply missed and will be remembered for his stubbornness, compassion for his family and his love for talking and cracking jokes, even in the most serious situations.
Jack is survived by his wife of 36 years, Vickie Duren, of the home; two children: Laci Bebout (Chad) of Grain Valley, MO, and Dustin Manuel of Odessa, MO; two grandchildren: Kali Manuel and Maddox Bebout; four siblings: Yowlanda Creasy (Lonnie), Patsy Hale (Joe), Sandi Doty (Gary), and Billy Duren (Suki); and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents.
Services will be held on Monday, March 16th at Royer Funeral Home in Oak Grove, MO, with visitation at 4:30 p.m. followed by the funeral at 6:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in care of the funeral home to defray expenses.
Arrangements by Royer Funeral Home in Oak Grove, Missouri