Eleanor Gene Duke

1928 - 2011

Eleanor G. Duke, 83, died Sunday, June 12, 2011 at her home, cared for by her family.

Left to mourn are her husband of 52 years, Jack; sons, Jerry Duke and wife, Esther and Don Duke and wife, Beth; daughters, Cheryl Duke and husband, Clif Dixon, Susan Holder, and Melissa Duke and husband, Jim Brawley. She was blessed with 8 grandchildren; Diana, Nathanael, and Eleanor Duke, Sophia Dixon, Jack Brawley, Sarah, Emily and Noah Holder; and 1 great grandchild. She also had several other grandchildren and great grandchildren who are hers by grace and affection. She is also survived by 1 brother, Gerald Sarver and wife, Mavis of IN. Also mourning is one much loved Morki puppy called Button.

Born Eleanor Gene Sarver on February 10, 1928 in Axtell, KS, she was raised in the rolling prairie countryside of northeastern Kansas. She moved to Wichita after high school where she worked first as a waitress, then later as a secretary for Sperry-Rand Corporation and as a ballroom dancing instructor at the Evan Charles Dance Studio in Wichita. There, she met a man named Jack who became her husband and father of her children. They left Kansas in 1963, moving first to Savannah, GA and then to Bay County, where they have lived for the last 45 years.

Eleanor has been an active member of Parkway Presbyterian Church for over 35 years. She served as the church secretary for 10 years and taught the junior high Sunday school class for 14 years. Telling the stories of Jesus to those kids and sharing her witness to the grace of God was one of her proudest achievements. She continued to manage the church's e-mail prayer chain until her recent illness prevented her from continuing.

From 1988-1997, she worked as a secretary for the Salvation Army Domestic Violence Program in Panama City, where her skills with people greatly assisted that ministry.

Eleanor was active in Jazzercise in recent years and was known as their oldest local member. She was known to be a very good cook and was famous, at least to her family, for her extra good cole slaw and gumbo. She loved all furry and feathered creatures and welcomed and fed birds, rabbits, coons, and possums that discovered her backyard sanctuary. She loved them all, but her favorites were small dogs. She usually had from one to three of them around her and they all returned her love.

A family graveside service will be held Saturday, June 18, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. at Evergreen Memorial Gardens and a memorial service later at 3:00 p.m. at Parkway Presbyterian Church on Saturday with Rev. Ric Connor and Rev. Reid Cameron officiating. The family will receive friends on Friday, June 17, 2011 from 6-8 p.m. at Kent Forest Lawn Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Covenant Hospice, 107 w. 19th Street, Panama City, FL or Parkway Presbyterian Church, 505 S. Tyndall Parkway, Panama City, FL.

For all of her family and many friends, it is hard to say goodbye to Eleanor, but we know she has gone to a "home not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" and that one day, we will join her "in the great cloud of witnesses" in that better place.
Expressions of sympathy may be viewed or expressed online at www.kentforestlawn.com

Kent-Forest Lawn
Funeral Home
2403 Harrison Ave.
Panama City, Fla. 32405
850-763-4694
www.kentforestlawn.com