Doris "Duane" Fincher

Doris "Duane" Fincher, 87, of Amarillo, died Tuesday, July 25, 2017. Duane was born on August 7, 1929, on Polk Street, Amarillo. He was delivered by Dr. Evelyn [Gass] Powers, one of the first women OB/GYN medical doctors in the Texas Panhandle and a cousin on his mother's side. He was the only child of Margaret Juanita [Anthony] Fincher Jackson and Doris Ernest Fincher. To eliminate name confusion, since his father was named Doris he was usually called Duane. Duane was graduated from Paschal High School, Fort Worth, TX, in 1948. He was graduated from Texas Technological College, Lubbock in 1954 with Bachelor of Architecture degree. After service as a 1st Lieutenant with the US Army Corps of Engineers, instructor in explosives and demolitions at Fort Belvoir, VA, he returned to Ft. Worth where he worked for architectural and structural engineering firms. He received his registration as Registered Architect, Texas in 1961. With all his friends having either married or moved from Ft. Worth, he enrolled at Arthur Murray's Dance Studio where he met his future wife, Virginia Kathryn Sensibaugh. This was one of the better decisions he ever made. They have been dancing together for better than 59 years in one form or another. He married Virginia in Ft. Worth on June 6, 1958. With his family he returned to Lubbock in 1966 where he taught as an instructor at Texas Technological College, Department of Architecture. He enrolled in graduate school and received a Master of Science in Civil Engineering in 1969. He was later employed by the US Atomic Energy {USAEC} in 1971 at Albuquerque, NM. He worked at its Rocky Flats Plant in Golden, CO and in 1977 at the Pantex Plant in Amarillo. He served as a day to day project/program manager for major new construction at both locations. He retired from the Department of Energy [USDOE] in January 1995 after 27 years of federal service. In his latter years, he spent much time in the garage making saw dust from $50 hunks of wood on his lathe. Survivors include his wife, Virginia Fincher; one daughter Kimberly Kay Zeman and husband, Roderick of Amarillo; one grandson, Zachary R. Zeman and wife Kayla of Austin. He was preceded in death by a son, Brian Duane Fincher; and his daughter-in-law, Frankie Jan Fincher. The family suggests memorials be to Cal Farley's Boys Ranch, P.O. Box 1890, Amarillo, Texas 79174 or to a church or organization of choice.

Service Schedule

Graveside Service Llano Cemetery Amarillo, TX Friday, July 28, 2017 2:00 pm

Burial Schedule

Llano Cemetery Amarillo , TX

Memorial Contributions

Cal Farley's Boy's Ranch PO Box 1890 Amarillo, TX 79174