Duane Edward Babecki, age 65 years, of Raritan Township, NJ, entered into God’s eternal rest on Thursday, April 27, 2023, at Complete Care at Green Knoll, Bridgewater, NJ. May we all find comfort in his memory.

Duane was born on August 10, 1957, to Valerie H. and Victor Babecki in Trenton, NJ, and was raised in Ewing, NJ. He graduated from Notre Dame High School, Glassboro State University, and received his MBA from Rider University. Duane and his wife Karen (Tippner) were married on October 17, 1987. Duane was an Information Technology professional who worked at several telecommunications companies, namely AT&T, BEA, Bell Labs, and Nokia. He retired from Oracle in 2017, as a Customer Service Manager.

Three words that personify Duane’s passions are family, sports, and friends.

Duane was a family man. Duane was beyond proud and supportive of his children’s accomplishments and career choices. He cared more about everyone’s happiness than his own and enjoyed hosting and being a part of fun large family gatherings. Family vacations were a special time. His favorite family vacations began with ones he took with his cousins and his siblings while growing up, and he continued this tradition by including extended family in his own family’s vacations at the Jersey shore, especially Wildwood.

When not vacationing, Duane was an avid sports fan. Whether it was watching on TV, going to a game, or coaching, he had a love for sports.  His favorite teams were the Yankees and Giants. He made sure that he shared this passion with his children by coaching in the Flemington Girls Softball Recreation League including the Flemington Flames Girls Travel Softball for 7 years, the Flemington-Raritan Boys Baseball League, Top Gun Girls Travel Softball program, and  Hunterdon YMCA soccer. Occasionally the worlds collided and family time was all about the sport events! Duane’s main goal in coaching was to incorporate life lessons into being a well rounded athlete.  As a runner, Duane finished the Marine Corp Marathon and Jersey Shore Marathon, and always looked forward to running in the annual turkey trot in Flemington with his children, who he inspired to incorporate running into their lives as they chased their dreams.

Friends and neighbors rounded out his world. His social network included the friends he met through his participation in AT&T golf leagues and slow pitch softball teams, volunteering with the Hunterdon Central Marching Band and at Clover Hill Reformed Church, where he served on Consistory as a Deacon for many years. Duane was a conversation starter, always having an opinion about current events, movies, or an interest in someone else’s life. Conversations often involved an anecdote, which usually ended with a witty comment or a laugh.

The positive impacts of Duane and his life will forever resonate in the hearts and minds of those who crossed his path and his loved ones. Duane was the most loving and dedicated husband, father, brother, uncle, son, and friend, and is survived by his beloved wife of 35 years, Karen; children, Denise, Megan, and Brian; siblings Victor (Leslie), Joanne Clemmensen (Scott), Valerie Kanka (Don), Matthew, and Anne Marie; cousins Roxanne Hart (Philip Casnoff), Tim Hart (Catherine), Chris Hart (Peggy), Nancy Sherrad (James), and Barbara Hart (Joe Slakas), Walt Babecki (Barbara), James Babecki (Kim), Linda Babecki, Karen Pokropski and Susan Eggers;14 nieces and nephews, 21 great-nieces and great-nephews, many close neighbors and friends, and his faithful dog, Sadie.

He is predeceased by his parents, grandparents and many aunts and uncles. The family wishes to thank all the caregivers at Complete Care in Green Knoll and the ever present support of family and friends over the past year.

Duane will lie in repose on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, from 10:00 -11:30 a.m., in the Chapel of Wright & Ford Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 38 State Highway 31, Flemington, NJ.

Life celebration services officiated by Rev. Beth Scibienski will take place at 11:30 a.m. at the funeral home and to which all are welcome.

Burial in the family plot at Clover Hill Cemetery will follow the services and again, all are welcome. A luncheon and fellowship will take place at Clover Hill Church, located on the grounds of the cemetery, after the committal prayers and burial.

You are encouraged to visit Duane’s permanent life celebration site at www.wrightfamily.com to light a candle of hope, leave messages of condolence, share words of comfort and recollection, and post photographs of his life.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, via mail to 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, or online by clicking HERE, to Clover Hill Reformed Church, via mail to 890 Amwell Road, Hillsborough, NJ 08844, or online by clicking HERE, the Flemington-Raritan First-Aid & Rescue Squad, via mail to P.O. Box 686, Flemington, NJ, or online by clicking HERE, the Raritan Township Fire Co., via mail to 303 South Main Street,
Flemington, NJ 08822, or online by clicking HERE,  or to a charity of your choice, again with sincere appreciation by Duane’s family.

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Wright & Ford, your local, family owned & operated “Life Celebration Home”

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