Obituary of Douglas Duane Chaney

Douglas D. Chaney, 75, passed away from a heart attack on December 12, 2021. Doug and his younger sisters, Linda and Barbara, had a 1950s childhood growing up on Oakland Avenue. Doug was active in Soap Box Derby, Boy Scouts, archery and ham radio. He taught himself to play a ukulele and quickly progressed to a Fender Stratocaster. Many will remember him as a guitarist and vocalist in The Original Iowa Continentals and the Rumbles. He graduated in 1964 from Abraham Lincoln High School where he was in ROTC and several high school musicals. He loved electronics and attended The Radio Engineering Institute in Omaha, University of Nebraska-Omaha Tech School, and Boulder VoTech for Electronics and Computers. Doug was in on the beginning use of McIntosh computers and learned Computer-aided Drafting at the National Center for Atmospheric Research where he was a computer tech. His innovative work led to an Employee of the Year Award. When he was President of the High Plains Drifters Motorcycle Club in Boulder, a photo of Doug on his Harley appeared in Easy Rider magazine. Doug was usually the life of the party, handsome and funny, a free spirit. In his later years he chose a quiet life in Coeur d Alene, Idaho, living near his mom, and Linda and her family. He was preceded in death by his parents, Duane and Shirley (Farrior) Chaney. He is survived by his children, Paula Spracklin Valdez and her family, Longmont, CO; Lisa Chaney Hatcher and her family, Council Bluffs; Joseph Chaney, Omak, WA; his niece Shari Toews and her family, Coeur d Alene; and his sisters and their families, Linda and Tim Bedal, Coeur d Alene, and Barbara Chaney and Bill Wingen, La Crosse, WI. There will be no service for Doug. Instead, in his memory, play some rock and roll music and dance like you’re at the Danish Hall.