1936-2018
Doren Brent DeNeal was born in Grass Valley, California, to Darl Albert and Ella (Hutchins) DeNeal on February 1, 1936. He joined brother, Kay Darl DeNeal, 2. Doren died in Renown Hospital, Reno, Nevada, on May 29, 2018.
He lived in Grass Valley through 1937 when the family moved to Nevada City so his father could open the DeNeal Flying Service in 1938. His father died in a plane accident while seeding rice in May, 1941.
When his mother remarried Herman Shane of Fallon, he lived on the Shane Ranch in Lone Tree District, Churchill County. Doren, who played football, graduated from Churchill County High School in 1953.
He joined the U.S. Army and attended jump school at Fort Benning, Georgia. He became an Army paratrooper in December 1953. Doren attended school on the GI Bill, and obtained his commercial pilot license in 1961. He designed, built and flew several ultra light aircraft. He would occasionally share the story of flying back the bi-plane used in the Misfits starring Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe.
As an avid artifact hunter, Doren donated hundreds of artifacts to the Churchill County Museum. He worked at the Naval Ammunition Depot. Hawthorne, and was a security guard for Burns International.
He married Louise Hope Miller, but they later divorced.
At the time of his death he resided at Fernley Estates. His brother Kay died in Las Vegas in February 2016.
He is survived by sister, Brenda (Ernest) Evangelista of Sparks, and brother, Ronald (Maxine) Shane of Reno. He has eight nieces and nephews.
Friends and family are invited to share memories of Doren at the Smith Family Funeral Home, 505 Rio Vista, Fallon, starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 30. A light lunch will be served.
At a later date, his urn will be placed by his father’s grave, Pine Grove Cemetery, Nevada City, under the direction of Hooper and Weaver Funeral Home.
