Duane Peter Sauer

Duane Peter Sauer, 66, husband of Gervenna, father to Eric, papa to Levi, Riley, Westley, and Kara, died peacefully in his sleep in the early morning of Aug. 15, 2025. Born Sept. 11, 1958, to Lloyd and Dorothy (Schill) Sauer in Langdon, N.D., Duane was the second of seven children. Being raised on a farm, he learned the value of hard work and hard play. Snowmobiling in the winter, water skiing in the summer, and getting into mischief were how his days were spent.

After attending school in Walhalla and Langdon, Duane graduated in 1976 and enlisted in the army. He spent the next six years in Stuttgart, Germany, and upstate New York. While in the Army, Duane decided that he wanted to learn how to fly and earned his pilot’s wings. In 1982, Duane was honorably discharged at the rank of sergeant, came back to N.D. and became a police officer, first in McClusky, N.D., then in Walhalla, N.D. In 1983, he married Charlene Machacek, and in 1985, they welcomed Eric into their lives. They later divorced.

Duane left the police force and started driving trucks with his big brother, Mike, for Johnson Farms. He then went to work with younger brother Carl on the farm near Mt. Carmel.

In October of 1993, Duane was in a farming accident that changed the trajectory of his life. By all accounts he should have died, but God told him that He wasn’t done with him. After six months in the hospital and the loss of his primary arm, Duane studied accounting at Northland Community and Technical College. There he met his other half. He and Gervenna (Jensen) Henry quickly became inseparable. They married July 4, 1998, on top of Signal Mountain overlooking the Grand Tetons in Jackson, Wyoming.

Duane and Gervenna worked together and played together, Gervenna being Duane’s left arm. Anything he couldn’t do, they did together. They built their cabin near Alida, Minn., and it was their pride and joy.

Duane worked in information technology at Altru Heath System in Grand Forks, N.D., retiring in 2021. They moved to their cabin and found a winter home among friends in Congress, Ariz. During these years, their hobbies truly became their passions. Woodworking, UND men’s hockey, ATVing, traveling the world, geocaching, and panning for gold in Arizona were just some of the things that kept them busy.

Duane is survived by the love of his life, Gervenna; son Eric (Lindsey) Taveren, Westley and Kara, of New Brighton, Minn.; step-daughter Melissa (Brad) Henry, Levi and Riley, of Grand Forks, N.D.; siblings: Carl Sauer of Langdon N.D., Jackie (Tim) Keith of Chadron, Neb., Joyce Sauer of Rapid City, S.D., Jeanette (Tim) Houle of Brainerd, Minn., Jennifer (James) Kruize of Fargo, N.D.; sister-in-law ShaAnn Sauer of Fargo; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Duane is preceded in death by parents Lloyd and Dorothy Sauer, in-laws Gervase and Peggy Jensen, older brother Michael Sauer, sister-in-law Laurie Sauer, and nephew Sean Kyle Keith.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a date in the near future to be determined. Please visit and send messages of condolence to ceasefuneralhome. com