Ira Ray Dukes

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Ira Dukes Obituary

Family-Placed Obituary

IRA RAY DUKES Age 63, of West Palm Beach, FL, went home to be with the Lord on November 6, 2009 after a difficult six month battle with brain cancer. He was born to the late Troy and Grace Dukes in West Palm Beach where he was a graduate of Forest Hill High School class of 1964. He then earned his bachelors degree in Bible from the Florida Bible College in 1970. Ray was pastor of Grace Bible Church, Lake Worth. Ray leaves to cherish his memory his wife of 41 years, Diana, his children: Sheri ( Dwayne ) McClelland, of Georgia, Troy ( Lisa) Dukes, of West Palm Beach, FL, and his grandchildren: Jonas, Carrie, Eliza, Christiana and Matthew. He is also survived by his brother, Jan Dukes, of Kentucky, and sister Laurie (Bill) Buchman, of Melbourne, FL, along with several nieces and nephews. His family will receive friends on Monday evening, between 6:00 and 8:00 PM at Grace Bible Church, 3181 Kirk Road, Lake Worth. RayÌs life will be celebrated on Tuesday, November 10, at Palm Springs Baptist Church, at 1:00 PM. He will be laid to rest immediately following at Lake Worth Memory Gardens. His funeral arrangements have been entrusted to DORSEY- E. EARL SMITHMEMORY GARDENSFUNERAL HOME3041 KIRK ROADLAKE WORTH, FLORIDA 33461 To express condolences and/or make donations Visit PalmBeachPost.com/obituaries

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Published by The Palm Beach Post on Nov. 8, 2009.

Memories and Condolences
for Ira Dukes

12 Entries

Melissa

November 18, 2009

I would like to express my deepest condolences to the Dukes Family. Pastor Ray was there for my family in our time of need. He will be missed.

Gail Lang

November 12, 2009

Diana, Laurie, Jan and families, you are in my thoughts and prayers during this time. I was Ray's little "sister" from the time I was about 8 years old back in the early 1960s when Laurie & I became good friends. Our families (Southgate, Dukes and Hendershot) have been close all these years and I spent a lot of my growing up years in the Dukes home. My predominant memory of Ray is of him smiling, always smiling. He also had quite a sense of humor and loved to tease us girls, but he was never demeaning or belittling. He was a kind and compassionate man who had a great love for souls, and I know he will be sorely missed by all who love him.
With love, Gail Hendershot Lang

Marcie Heller

November 10, 2009

We were blessed to have had Ray as a Pastor & Friend...God blessed our lives with this..for this, we give Thanks!!
He is with the Lord now...
Diana..you are in our thoughts and prayers.

Chip Birch

November 9, 2009

I knew Ray briefly over a number of years. We are the ones who have lost a truly good man and servant of God. His presence was always warm, friendly and calming. Our prayers go out on behalf of his dear family and church. Ray is just beginning the best of eternity.

Bill and Jeannie Mauser

November 9, 2009

Diana and Dukes Family-Please know that you are in our thoughts and prayers during this most difficult time.

Natalie Lendak

November 8, 2009

Diana I know that he is in GOD's hands now without any pain. I will continue to pray for you and your family. GOD BLESS!

dave armstrong

November 8, 2009

Ray just graduated with the highest honor God can give one of His children-early graduation. He has finished his course, he has kept the faith. I especially appreciated his commitment to the purity of the gospel.
Dave Armstrong

November 8, 2009

Diana, on our first meeting when Pastor Ray was first diagnosis,we became friends. Meeting you and Pastor Ray was such a blessing and the love he had for the Lord,and his family was totally with any doubt the love that Jesus had for us when he died for our sins. To meet a man who had just had brain surgery and he is setting up in his hospital bed reading the bible and thanking God for the journey. He said whatever it's in God's hands. Remember Pastor Ray was ready as we all should be and now he is in heaven with his heavenly father. May you find comfort in knowning that he loved you I think he told me since age 14 and he loved you until Jesus called him home. Be strong my friend, it's not easy to say goodbye to our love ones,it's a lot easier when we know he is with the Lord. I love you, my heart aches with you. Ora Chester Lake Worth, Fl
JFK Medical Center

Kristin & Danny Remchuk

November 8, 2009

Pastor Ray was one of the most loving people we knew. He inspired us, was always there for us and was a great man in the Lord. We love him and Diana more than anyone will ever know, and will miss him terribly. But, as Pastor Ray taught us, because of our Faith and realtionship with Jesus, we will see him again. So, its not goodbye, its "we will see you on the other side" :-)

Donna Bailey

November 8, 2009

Diana, my heart aches for you. I hope that as you have been here for me that I can offer comfort to you. May Ray rest in peace with our Heavenly Father. Love, Donna

Ruth Crawford Meeds

November 8, 2009

My thoughts and prayers are with you in your time of grief. May your memories bring you comfort.

Mike & Patti Heatley

November 8, 2009

My wife and I knew Pastor Ray... our lives crossing paths at different times through the years. We can only pay tribute to such a man, by sharing with you what we know about him, and also by sharing just a little bit of the message he shared with others, as his life vocation.
Pastor Ray was a good man... a man who deeply loved his wife, his children, and his grandchildren. Ray loved the Lord, and devoted his life to sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others. He relished in what God bestowed on him... being entrusted with the Gospel... talking with people he would meet, and sharing the "Good News" of the Bible.
Ray knew that the Bible was indeed, the Word of God, and he knew that these words are truth. Ray would share God's plan for the salvation of man with those he would meet. That Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, born of a Virgin, lived a sinless life, and then sacrificed Himself on the cross of Calvary, making the payment for the sins of all mankind. Jesus then proved Himself God by having victory over death, raising from the dead on the third day!
Ray knew that man is born in sin. We've all done something we knew was wrong. That sin separates us from God. That is why Jesus gave Himself, making the payment for our sin, in our place, so that God and His creation, can again be united. In the Bible, the book of Ephesians, Chapter 2, verses 8 and 9 we read... "8 For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast." Jesus freely offers this gift to all of us, by grace alone, through faith alone!
So... just what is it that we can do to receive this gift of salvation? The only work man can do, is to believe in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, to simply trust in that payment Jesus made for our sin, whereby we can have eternal life. Eternal life in the presence of God Himself, forever and forever and forever!
Ray had many, many 'favorite verses', one is John 3:16 which reads... "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." If we believe, trust in, or rely upon the payment Jesus made on the cross, we will posess eternal life!
Ray also enjoyed sharing these few additional verses, as well. From 1 John chapter 5 we read, beginning in verse 11 "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. (Jesus)
12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may continue to believe on the name of the Son of God."
All we need to do, to receive the free gift of eternal life that God offers us, is to trust, by faith, in the payment Jesus made on the cross for our sin. Once we do that, we can "KNOW", free from any doubt, that we have eternal life! We pray, that you might take a minute right now, and as best you know how, receive Jesus as your personal Savior.
And now... we believers can rejoice, and find much comfort in the knowledge, that Pastor Ray has gone on before us, and is now in the very presence of our Heavenly Savior! I'm as certain as can be, that the first words Pastor Ray heard the Lord speak were, "Welcome, thou good and faithful servant!"
To Ray's wife, Diana, and his family, we ask that the Lord will Bless you with His Peace and His Comfort.
Thank you, Pastor Ray... for your many years of service, in doing the Lord's work.
Sincerely and Respectfully,

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