Duane “Smitter” Loehr, 67, of Cooks Point, passed away on June 25, 2022.
Smitter was born on Dec. 2, 1954, to Louis and Corky Loehr in Marlin, Texas.
Visitation for Duane was scheduled for 6-8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 28, 2022, at Strickland Funeral Home in Caldwell.
Funeral services were scheduled for 2 p.m. on Wednesday, June 29, 2022, at Cooks Point Methodist Church with the burial following at the Cooks Point Methodist Church Cemetery.
When Duane was born, his brother, David, met him for the first time, and said he thought the name Duane was all right, but decided he’d just call him “Smitter” so, Smitter it was, and it stuck.
For many years, Smitter served as a member of the Cooks Point VFD and was one of the first members when the community started the fire department.
As a lifelong resident of Cooks Point, he helped his dad run the family farm, and, in his free time, enjoyed fox hunting and coon hunting with his dad, as well as deer hunting with his brother and their Uncle Harvey.
Being the dedicated Aggie, it was no surprise to find him in front of the TV, watching Aggie football on Game Day. He also enjoyed attending Aggie baseball games or (as he would say) “watching the Aggies on the radio” while sitting in his rocking chair on the porch.
His interest in Aggie baseball is something he passed on and shared with his niece, Deidra. If she wanted to go to a game at Olsen Field, he never turned her down.
As a hobby, he studied horse racing and often attended live races. He later brought that hobby to life and decided to become a racehorse owner.
He and Granny got many years of joy out of breeding, raising and racing their own horses. They even found ways to incorporate family friends into the naming of these horses.
We have many memories of Duane that we will cherish. He will be missed by all who new him.
Duane is preceded in death by his parents, Louis and Corky Loehr, and his brother, David Loehr.
Survivors include his niece, Deidra Loehr; his sister-in-law, Connie Loehr; and numerous close cousins and family members.
The family would like to express their overwhelming gratitude to all the people at Texas Home Health, as well as our caretakers who helped him and stayed with him for the last year.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Strickland Funeral Home. They invite you to visit their website at www.stricklandfuneralhomes.com and sign the online register book.