GRUNNAGLE-AMENT-NELSON FUNERAL HOME & CREMATORY
(FD304/CR81)

Obituary of Duane Russell Dotson
March 26, 1936 – January 19, 2025
San Rafael, CA
Life-long San Rafael resident, Duane Dotson, Passed away peacefully in his sleep, on January 19, 2025, at the age of 88. He was preceded in death by his Life-Partner Linda Woods, his three brothers; Ronny, Richard, and Kenneth, and his previous wife Rebecca “Bunnie” Schmitka.
Duane is survived by his three Sons, Russell (Celeste) Paicines, CA, James (Claudia) Redwood City, CA, and Charles Paicines; four Grandchildren and three Great-Grandchildren.
Duane was the oldest son of four boys of Melvin Dotson and Minnie Nelson-Dotson. Born at Ross General Hospital on March 26th, 1936. Duane attended school throughout San Rafael and graduated San Rafael High in 1955 where he met his wife, Rebecca “Bunnie” Rhodes and they married June 24th, 1956. They welcomed three boys; Russell, James and Charles and raised them in the Meadows on Corrillo Drive.
Duane followed his father into the family business, auto mechanic, immediately upon graduation. In 1960 he and his father started DOT-SON’S GARAGE, located at 142 Mill St, Phone GLENDALE 3-6777. In 1972 Mel retired and Duane took his automotive expertise on the road and with Duane’s Mobile Service, repairing vehicles where you lived, worked or they quit. Duane finished his automotive career working first for Dominican College and finally for St. Vincent’s School for Boys in Lucas Valley.
Duane was an extreme adventurer; high-speed water skiing, off-road motorcycle racer, ice hockey player, world class fisherman, and vintage car road racer. He Skied behind his brother Richard’s pickle-fork hydroplane at over 100 mph on Lake Berryessa in the ‘60’s. He raced his many motorcycles competitively in the 1960’s and ‘70’s in; enduros, hair scrambles, moto crosses and flat tracks throughout California (even competing against Steve McQueen at the Lake Elsinore Grand Prix in 1970). Duane learned to play ice hockey at Radine’s Ice Rink in Corte Madera, worked on the vintage Zamboni for Ray, and coached his children. Enjoyed many fishing trips to Alaska where he caught a 50-pound King Salmon on the Kenai River in 2015. And he last raced his favorite race car, a 1965 Shelby Cobra 427 S/C, when he was 81 years young at Sears Point Raceway. He proudly exhibited the race car at last year’s May Madness on Fourth Street in San Rafael.
A private ceremony will be held at Russ’ Ranch in Paicines, where his ashes will reside in the family car shop (he helped to construct) atop his favorite lift, permanently overseeing the work on his collection.