Duckwall Fruit began in 1919 when the Duckwall brothers arranged to have their apples shipped from Hood River to Indianapolis. The returns from that shipment of fruit were good, so from then on the company growth began when the fruit from neighboring growers was included in the next year’s fruit shipment.
 
To increase the distribution and improve sales profits of fruit, John traveled to Europe in 1929 to establish export markets that have since grown to be approximately one-third of the company's total sales volume.

 

The first office of Duckwall Fruit was established 1926 in Hood River. In 1958 the Duckwall facilities were moved to the middle-Hood River Valley town of Odell where the company remains today in an enlarged facility. In 2019 the Duckwall Fruit Company celebrated its 100th anniversary.

Minnie Paasch, (born 1885, died 1937), was John’s first wife. They had five children. In 1939 John married Hannah Johnson, (born 1906, died 1980). They had one child.  Both wives were active participants in the Duckwall Fruit Company and will be highlighted in the Cemetery Tales story of John Duckwall.

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Roger Blashfield  performed as John Duckwall and Barb Berry and Judy Zimmerman performed as Minnie and Hannah.