DuWayne D. Furman

We are profoundly saddened to announce that DuWayne Dee Furman, 91, of Macomb Illinois, has passed away after a brief illness. He was born to Dillon and Agnes Furman in Marsland, Nebraska. He grew up in the western part of the state fishing, hunting, working at his father’s service station, and causing mischief.  He moved to Lincoln, Nebraska for his undergraduate degree and his PhD in Educational Psychology. While there, he met the love of his life, Janet Rae Shuman.  They were married August 10, 1958, with him promising to show her the world. He served in the US Army in 1958 and 1959. True to his word, he and Janet travelled the world seeing over 40 countries over the first six years of their marriage.
They moved to Macomb in 1968, where they raised their four sons – Don, Tom, Stan, and Ric. DuWayne loved being a father. He taught as a professor of Educational Foundations and Statistics first at the University of Nebraska, then at Western Illinois University. He retired from WIU in 1998. In retirement, DuWayne pursued his love of reading, volunteering, and finding ways to help others.
DuWayne was a force of nature. When he committed to something, he would jump in with both feet. He was a Boy Scout scoutmaster for 30 years. He was a YMCA baseball coach, a track and field official, a founding member of both the Macomb Blood Bank and McDonough County Mental Health Services, and was a board member of Bridgeway. He had a pilot’s license and flew across the country on multiple occasions. He was an active member of Wesley United Methodist Church.  More recently, he delivered food for Good Food Collaborative and drove for Impact Life Blood Center.
His other passions included Nebraska athletics, lifelong learning, and fast red cars. He followed Husker football and volleyball year-round. He was an avid reader of a wide variety of topics favoring self-improvement authors. In his youth, he rebuilt carburetors in his father’s garage. He purchased a 1965 Porche at the factory in Stuttgart. He was recently driving his third tesla, and had more on order. 
DuWayne was also a relentless optimist. He was reasonably sure he would live to be 120 years old, because there was so much good coming in the world that he wanted to see. There was so much left for him to do!  He wanted nothing more than to help other people reach their full potential. For him, this often meant giving books to family, friends, and acquaintances. He often ordered multiple copies from his favorite authors, Ray Kurzweil and Peter Diamandis, for this very reason.
DuWayne never failed to tell his family how much he loved them, and how proud he was of who they had become. He was engaging, intelligent, funny, eccentric, kind and oblivious to social cues. He often drove his friends and family crazy, and he will be greatly missed. His life should be celebrated. 
He is survived by his wife Janet (Shuman) Furman, sister Sharlene Gillette of Tucson, AZ, and his sons Donald Wallace (Melinda) Furman of Garner, IA, Thomas Lyle (Jodi) Furman of Duluth, MN, Stanley Earl (Fumie) Furman of Singapore, and Richard Ross (Leah) Furman of Wiesbaden, Germany and Lexington, KY, and Grandchildren Christina, Jonathon, Abigail, Emily, Isabelle, Dillon, and Morris. 
Cremation rites have been accorded. A Memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, February 19, 2023 at Wesley United Methodist Church in Macomb with Pastor Dr. Scott Grulke officiating. Visitation will be held from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Monday at the Church.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Giving Gardens For All, or Impact Life Blood Center.
Clugston-Tibbitts Funeral Home in Macomb is in charge of arrangements.
You may leave condolences and sign the guest book online at clugston-tibbitts.com.
 

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