Duane Jeffrey Mallak passed away on Tuesday, March 18, 2025 from non-small cell lung cancer. A Celebration of Life was held on Saturday, March 22, 2025, from 2 to 7 p.m. at Max’s Grill in Olivia.
 Duane was born on March 4, 1962, to Leo and Marietta (Keiser) Mallak. He grew up on his family’s farm and attended catholic and public school in Silver Lake.
 On November 12, 1983, he married Cheryl Bunke. They moved seven times before finally settling at their home east of Olivia in 1988. Together they raised two children, Sara and Travis. One memorable family vacation was a trip to Orlando, Fla., where they went to Disney World, a pirate dinner show and to the Daytona 500.
 Duane and Cheryl did many motorcycle trips together with good friends, Kirk and Jo-Ann Toltzman and John and Jill Revolinski to the Black Hills, S.D., Duluth, Pidgeon Forge, Tenn., Upper Michigan, Lake of the Ozarks and did other local charity rides.
 Duane worked various jobs until he applied for a truck driving position hauling sweet corn for Dennis Washburn in 1982. With no experience, he quickly learned the ins and outs of truck driving and became hooked. He then worked for Clarence Washburn hauling sugar beets and grain.
 Duane moved up and into over-the-road trucking for eight years with Elbert Trucking but in 1994 he decided to buy his own truck and leased it on to Kottke Trucking, then to Westphal Trucking. More trucks equal more fun by adding three more of their own trucks and one owner operator and in May 2000, Duane and Cheryl started Mallak Trucking Inc.
 Duane’s love of farming started out as a side hobby with the small acreage on their home place. It grew more each year and soon became his true passion. Duane also enjoyed making hay. He was content to sit in a tractor and cut, or rake, or bale all day, and then figure out how to haul it all home and put it away before the rain!
 Duane was a good hardworking man, great husband, father, and friend. He had a dry sense of humor and quick wit, and was very private about his personal life but deeply loved his family. He enjoyed being captain of his pool league team and always had great times with his teammates Travis, Tom, Mike and Shawn. He will be truly missed.
 Duane is survived by his wife, Cheryl; children Josh Wosmek, Sara (and Ben) Wussow and Travis Mallak and grandson Eric Wussow; brothers, Gary (and Pam) Mallak, Ron (and Jeanette) Mallak; sisters Kathy (and Tom) Urban, and Carolyn (and Jack) Getz; sister-in-law Christine Mallak, and brother-in-law Gary Hennessey; and many nieces and nephews.
 Duane was preceded in death by his parents, Leo and Marietta, sister Susan Hennessey, and brother David Mallak.
 Remember him with a smile and an “Anyhoot”.