Allan Roy Duitman, Jr.

Allan R Duitman Jr, 82, of Rome, Georgia passed away April 21, 2019. He was born on September 26, 1936, in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and was the son of the late Allan Sr and Winnefred (Twyford) Duitman. Al grew up in Las Cruces NM where he nurtured his passion for baseball. A southpaw pitcher, he played in High School, College, American Legion ball, service ball while in the Air Force and had a short minor league career. He attended Eastern New Mexico University at Portales NM and Texas Western {UTEP) in El Paso TX, where he studied journalism. He left just short of his degree to begin military service. He was a veteran of the United States Air Force, serving as Information Specialist and spent several years at Naha Air Base, Okinawa doing aerial photography. After his service, he embarked on a career in newspaper journalism that took him all over the country. He worked for the Santa Fe New Mexican, Hobbs Daily Sun, El Paso Herald-Post, several papers in Kansas, Indiana, and Michigan, including Managing Editor and General Manager of the Cassopolis Vigilant and Edwardsburg Argus. He won many press awards for his writing and photography. He married Sandra Kay Tucker in Cassopolis Michigan, December 2, 1972. An avid collector, in his retirement years Al owned an antique mall in Mason City, Iowa. He was a member of American Legion Post 0010, Las Cruces. He was a big supporter of Legion baseball, as a player and as sports editor at the Santa Fe New Mexican, making sure there were newspaper accounts of the state tournaments. Allan is survived by his loving wife of 46 years, Sandra Duitman, 2 grandchildren Breanna and James, his much-loved brother-in-laws Thomas and Harry Tucker and their families, special daughter-in-law Marie Aguirre and many nieces and nephews. He loved sports and children, and for several years handed out basketballs to little boys on the court in South Rome, empowering minds one boy at a time. He loved public discourse and made new friends everywhere he went, from the doctor's office to a checkout line. He was a loving husband, a true friend to all who knew him, and a life long fan of his beloved Chicago Cubs. He will be greatly missed by his wife Sandi, family and many friends. A life well lived is not forgotten.