Minnie Duke

Minnie Duke AMERICUS, Ga. - Mrs. Minnie Mae Grant Duke, known to many as Mickey, 96, of the 2000 block of South Lee St., died Friday afternoon, June 26, 2009, in Phoebe Putney Hospital in Albany. Mrs. Duke was born in De Soto, Ga., Sept. 21, 1912, the daughter of the late Carl Washington and Bobbie Elizabeth Pace Grant. Mrs. Duke was a graduate of Georgia State College for Women and also attended Duke University and The College of William & Mary. She taught seventh grade from 1952 until 1956 and then taught biology, chemistry, and general science at Holland High School in Holland, Va., until 1965. From 1965 until 1971 she taught at Forrest Glen High School where she was chairman of the science department and then started teaching chemistry and physics at Nansemond Suffolk Academy until her retirement in 1974. The Dukes moved to Albany, Ga., in 1985 where she began doing volunteer work at Phoebe Putney Hospital and the Red Cross. Mrs. Duke was a member of Porterfield Methodist Church in Albany and moved to Magnolia Manor in Americus where she resided until her death. Mrs. Duke is survived by one son, George B. Duke Jr. of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. She was preceded in death by her husband of 66 years, George B. Duke Sr. in July of 2005 and by one brother, Carl Washington Grant Jr. A funeral will be held Monday, June 29, at 11 a.m. from the Chapel of Greg Hancock Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Betty Lou Miller officiating. Burial will follow in Oak Grove Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 3 until 5 p.m. today at Greg Hancock Funeral Chapel. The family requests that memorial contributions be made to The League of the Good Samaritan c/o Magnolia Manor, 2001 South Lee St., Americus, GA 31709, or to the charity of ones choice. You may sign the online guestbook and share your memories at www.greghancockfuneralchapel.com.