Obituary of Jerry Duke

Funeral services for Jerry Duke, age 72 of Columbia will be held 2 pm Tuesday April 30, 2013 from the Columbia Heights Baptist Church with the Rev.Bruce McGee and Rev. Shane Duke officiating. Interment will follow in the Welcome Home Cemetery at Grayson, under the direction of Riser Funeral Home of Columbia. Visitation will be on Monday, April 29, 2013 at the Riser Funeral Home in Columbia from 5pm until 8 pm , and at the church on Tuesday from 10 am until time of service. Jerry Duke was born on September 15, 1940 in Columbia, LA to the union of his parents Clifford Carl Duke and Ollie Beverly Gibson Duke. He passed from this life on Sunday April 28, 2013 at his residence following an extended illness. Mr. Duke owned and operated Duke's Hardware in Columbia for thirty nine years, and was a United States Army Veteran. He was a member of the Columbia Heights Baptist Church where he served as deacon, and a member of the Don Davis Sunday School Class, and a member of the Gideons. He was preceded in death by his parents, and by his sisters, Ella Mae Starling, Jewell Young, Katie Hebert, Elaine Brossard; and Melba Nichols, and his brothers, Hobart Woodruff, Ray Woodruff, and Manuel Woodruff. Survivors include his wife of forty nine years: Elaine Templeton Duke of Columbia; his son, Bro. Shane Duke and wife Marilyn of Columbia, his daughter, Jerri Lynn Martin and husband Willis of Grayson, his grandchildren: Mary McGuffee and husband Dylan, Caleb Duke, Duke Martin, and Holly Cassels and husband Matt; his sisters: Tilda and Waymond Calhoun of Columbia, Judy Chenevert and husband Paul "Pappy" of Jena, and Faye Turner of Wisner; and his brother, Binus Duke and wife Barbara of Columbia. Serving as pallbearers will be his nephews, Carl Calhoun, Bubba Calhoun, Bino Duke, Shawn Duke, Jody Duke, Terry Woodruff, Mark Meredith, Jr., and Rusty Smith. Honorary pallbearers will be Gary Cassels, Jason Moore, Don Gregory,Archie Williams,Bobby Stringer, Mike Tyron, Buck Fletcher, and Artis Thompson. In lieu of flowers any planned memorials should be made to Gideons International, Columbia Heights Baptist Church Building Fund,Columbia, LA 71418, or Crossover Ministries, 239 Duke Road, Columbia, LA 71418 The Duke Family would like to say a special thanks to First Choice Hospice and Staff, Angela Yarbrough, Linda Smith, and Express Medical, Kathy Mabry, Mary Hankiemier, and Mary Wade.