Lion Michael J. Dux, 99, of Denver, passed away September 3rd, 2019.
Born in Jacksonville, Florida of immigrant German parents, he survived a car/train collision at four years old, which took the lives of his parents and older brother. He and sisters, Elsie and Margrit, were sent to Germany to live with relatives. After witnessing Hitler's rise to power and being bullied for not joining the Hitler Youth, at the age of sixteen, he returned to Florida. He attended Miami University in Ohio, and graduated with a degree in Political Science. In 1942, he was drafted into the Army AirCorp at the start of WWII and served in North Africa and Italy as a B-25 flight engineer. After the war, he joined the State Department and was commissioned as a Foreign Service Officer. He worked in the office of German Affairs; was Assistant Chief of the Trade Agreements division; Economic Officer to the American Consulate in Madras, India and Secretary to the American Embassy in New Delhi; First Secretary to the American Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand, and was representative to the Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East; Chief of Industrial and Strategic Materials Division and Deputy Director of the Office of Trade Policy in Washington, D.C.; assigned to the American Embassy in Bonn, Germany and was the Consul General to the American Consulate in Dusseldorf, Germany. He was also a member of the US delegation at the United Nations.
Born in Jacksonville, Florida of immigrant German parents, he survived a car/train collision at four years old, which took the lives of his parents and older brother. He and sisters, Elsie and Margrit, were sent to Germany to live with relatives. After witnessing Hitler's rise to power and being bullied for not joining the Hitler Youth, at the age of sixteen, he returned to Florida. He attended Miami University in Ohio, and graduated with a degree in Political Science. In 1942, he was drafted into the Army AirCorp at the start of WWII and served in North Africa and Italy as a B-25 flight engineer. After the war, he joined the State Department and was commissioned as a Foreign Service Officer. He worked in the office of German Affairs; was Assistant Chief of the Trade Agreements division; Economic Officer to the American Consulate in Madras, India and Secretary to the American Embassy in New Delhi; First Secretary to the American Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand, and was representative to the Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East; Chief of Industrial and Strategic Materials Division and Deputy Director of the Office of Trade Policy in Washington, D.C.; assigned to the American Embassy in Bonn, Germany and was the Consul General to the American Consulate in Dusseldorf, Germany. He was also a member of the US delegation at the United Nations.
After retirement, he became a member of many of Denver's volunteer organizations. As President of the Denver Lions Club, he participated in the development of the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute. He served as President of the German Edelweiss Club, and active member of the Arapahoe County Democrats.
Michael Dux is survived by daughters Virginia Paul and Jacquelyn Graese, step-son Tim (Nancy) Meile, grandchildren Nicole (Ricardo) Mattos, Michael (Angela) Graese, Kurt Graese, Kimberly (Jeffrey) Knudsen and great grandchildren Luis Felipe Mattos, Isabella Mattos, Kai Knudsen and Quinn Knudsen.
Michael Dux was preceded in death by his wife Viola, and later by his second wife Jeanette, and sons-in-law Fritz Graese and Steve Paul. He is survived by many relatives and friends and by special friend, Martha Schuster. Although his wish to celebrate his 100th birthday was not fulfilled, his life was spent in tireless work for his family and country and he always remained a loyal, kind, loving, and generous person.
A funeral mass will be held on October 8, 2019 at 2:00pm at Risen Christ Catholic Parish, 3060 S. Monaco Pkwy. The burial will follow at a later date in Jacksonville, Florida.