Chester Duke

Chester E. Duke Jr. of Mildred, Texas passed away at the Twilight Home on Tuesday evening, October 17, 2017 with his family surrounding him at the age of 93. He was born in Dawson, Texas on February 14, 1924 to Chester E. Duke Sr. and Julia Coffey Duke. He attended elementary school in Navarro and graduated from Mildred High School in 1942. In October of 1942 he enlisted in the United States Army Air Corp and was stationed at Hickman Field in Hawaii. While in the military he was a mechanic and earned the rank of sergeant and led a crew maintaining aircraft. In February of 1946 he was discharged and enrolled in Navarro College where he was a member of the “Barracks Bunch”. He received an Associate’s Degree from Navarro College and worked as an accountant for a Gulf Oil Distributor and later as Purchasing Director for Hable Construction. Chester enjoyed woodworking and restored old wagons and buggies. He and his wife Joyce would collect American antiques and enjoyed the time it took to locate them. He is preceded in death by his parents, his wife Joyce Summerall Duke in 2013 and great grandchildren; Jacob Harrison Pritchett and Haleigh Necole Cassada. Chester is survived by his children; Barbara Baker, Judith Pritchett and husband Larry and Jack Duke and wife Kathy. Grandchildren; Ben Baker and wife Kim, Alan Baker and wife Michelle, Mark Pritchett, Shelly Cassada and husband David, Chester Duke and wife Jana and Jennifer Slovak and husband Justin. Great grandchildren; Melanie Flugel and husband Nick, Megan Henderson and husband Casey, Katelynn Kidwell and husband Joe, Alan Baker Jr., Brett Baker, Skylar Pritchett, Shannon Pritchett, Briar Cassada and wife Crystal, Ruth Slovak, Kristy Warren and husband Bree, Katie Cisneros and husband Alvaro and KInner Chavez and husband Rafael. Great great grandchildren; Henry, Ava, Kaylee, Erika, Paislee, Levi, Garrett, Brayden, Sophie, Ava, Carter, Ryland and Lincoln. Visitation will be Saturday, October 21, 2017 from 12 – 1pm at Griffin – Roughton Funeral Home. Graveside services with Military Honors will follow at 2pm at Hamilton – Beeman Cemetery with family serving as pallbearers.

Chester Duke

February 14, 1924 - October 17, 2017