Jack David Duren

Jack David Duren, 60, of Odessa, Missouri, passed away at his home on March 8, 2026. Born on July 14, 1965, in Chicago, Illinois, he was the youngest of five children born to Willie B. and Shirley Ann (Lane) Duren. The family moved to Florence, Alabama, in 1974, where Jack attended Bradshaw High School. At the age of 16, he lost his father to Polycystic Kidney Disease, a condition he himself would later inherit.

In Missouri, Jack met Vickie D. Manuel, and they married on May 26, 1989. He made Odessa his permanent home, where he lived for the rest of his life. A gifted woodworker for more than 35 years, Jack worked at Jakobe Furniture, Alco, and Regency, and owned his own business, Rebelwork. He specialized in cabinetry and, in his later years at Jakobe, crafted furniture for Las Vegas casinos and built the bar for JJ’s Restaurant on the Plaza. Early in his career, at age 20, he lost the tips of two fingers in a workshop accident, an incident he spoke of with pride and often showed off with a grin.

Jack remained deeply connected to his southern roots, cherishing visits to Alabama to enjoy his mother’s homemade fudge and peanut brittle. A devoted Alabama football fan, he loved watching and playing basketball, attending family reunions at Reelfoot Lake in Tennessee, fishing from his boat, tending his yard, and playing poker—often building his own custom tables. Above all, he was a loving husband, father, pawpaw, son, and brother, remembered for his stubborn nature, his compassion for family, and his gift for telling jokes and sharing stories even in difficult moments.

He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Vickie Duren; their children, Laci Bebout (Chad) of Grain Valley, Missouri, and Dustin Manuel of Odessa, Missouri; grandchildren Kali Manuel and Maddox Bebout; 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.